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A26 U.S. NEWS
Friday 12 June 2020
Manhunt targets suspect who wounded California deputy

By CHRISTOPHER WEBER possessing destructive de-
and STEFANIE DAZIO vices and the components
Associated Press to make others.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hun- He is scheduled to be ar-
dreds of California police raigned Friday, and it was
officers were searching not immediately clear if
Thursday for a gunman sus- he had an attorney who
pected of opening fire at could speak on his behalf.
a police station, wounding In Paso Robles, there were
a deputy with a shot to the no events or imminent ar-
face and killing a transient rests that could have trig-
man. gered the violence, San
Authorities said they Luis Obispo County Sheriff
have been a step behind Ian Parkinson said. Inves-
26-year-old Mason James tigators didn't know if the
Lira since he shot at the attack was connected to
downtown Paso Robles anger swelling nationwide
Police Department before at police over the killing of
dawn Wednesday. Officials George Floyd by Minneap-
later discovered the body olis officers, he said.
of a man, who had been Authorities have not deter-
shot in the head at close mined a motive, but Lira,
range. A tactical vehicle is parked near 12th and Riverside Ave.nue in downtown Paso Robles, Calif., as a transient from the Mon-
law enforcement agencies responded to an early morning shooting in the Central Coast city after
"It's a wide-ranging, full-on, a sheriff's deputy was wounded early Wednesday, June 10, 2020. terey area, was arrested
full-scale effort," said Tony Associated Press previously for making ter-
Cipolla, spokesman for the rorist threats.
San Luis Obispo County The attack came just five 15 rifle and other weapons, lice brutality on May 29. A A gas station clerk report-
sheriff. "We're right behind days after law enforce- authorities said. Sheriff Jim white van was spotted at ed seeing Lira, the suspect,
him. You can't run forever." ment officers were am- Hart said the suspect, Ste- both attacks and the FBI is around 2 a.m. Thursday
The search intensified Thurs- bushed farther north in the ven Carrillo, was intent on seeking the public's help to when he came in to buy
day in and around Paso community of Ben Lomond. killing officers. find it. an energy drink, the TV
Robles, a tourist destination Santa Cruz County sher- Carrillo, 32, was arrested Prosecutors on Thursday station KSBY reported. The
in California's central coast iff's Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, and the FBI is investigating filed 19 charges against clerk said Lira was sweaty,
wine region. 38, was killed and another whether he has links to the Carrillo, who faces life in exhausted and mumbling
Police closed parts of a deputy was injured Satur- killing of a federal secu- prison if convicted. He is to himself but did not do
freeway and used flash- day in an attack by an Air rity officer outside the U.S. accused of killing Gutzwiller anything threatening.
bangs while searching Force sergeant armed with courthouse in Oakland dur- and attempting to kill four The events started unfold-
apartments. homemade bombs, an AR- ing a protest against po- other officers, as well as ing around 4 a.m. Wednes-
day, when Lira fired at po-
lice cars as they entered
Ex-federal worker pretended to be CIA to steal millions downtown Paso Robles.
Two sheriff's deputies heard
gunshots but didn't see the
By MATTHEW BARAKAT vincing them to put him member of the U.S. military vate companies he victim- attacker until they were
Associated Press on their payrolls, accord- detailed to an intelligence ized. Before Courtney, 44, outside their patrol car and
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) ing to plea documents. agency, had Courtney of Tampa, Florida, worked gunfire targeted them.
— A former public affairs Courtney told companies arrange for his adult son at the DEA, he served as a One was hit in the head.
officer for the Drug En- he was affiliated with a co- to be hired by two of the spokesman for Florida Re- His partner fired back and
forcement Administration vert CIA operation called victim companies, even publican congresswoman dragged the deputy be-
pleaded guilty Thursday Alpha-214, and that he though he was unquali- Katherine Harris. hind a police car.
to pretending to be an needed to be placed fied. When some of his victims "We feel that this was an
undercover CIA operative on their payroll to cover Court papers do not iden- questioned the scheme ambush, that he planned
to persuade companies up the fact that he was tify the companies or and why they had not it, that he intended for of-
seeking business with the a government agent. He public officials that were been paid for their partici- ficers to come out of the
agency to give him mil- said the companies would victimized in Courtney's pation, he accused them Police Department and to
lions of dollars. be reimbursed in the form scheme, and the U.S. At- of having undermined the assault them," Sheriff Par-
At a plea hearing Thurs- of lucrative government torney's Office in Alexan- program by leaking de- kinson said.
day in federal court in contracts. dria, which is prosecut- tails of the operation. Ac- The wounded deputy,
Alexandria, Virginia, Gar- He leaned on his time as ing the case, declined to cording to the statement Nicholas Dreyfus, 28, had
rison Courtney admitted a former public affairs of- comment beyond what of facts, he accused one a good prognosis Thursday
he duped multiple public ficer with the DEA, where was spelled out in court. individual of being an Ira- after surgery.
officials, including senior he worked from 2005 to In addition to the private nian spy after that person While officers searched for
military members, to lend 2009, to enlist public offi- companies, Courtney also questioned Courtney's le- Lira, they received a report
legitimacy to his scheme cials to give generic brief- persuaded an acquisition gitimacy. of a body near a train sta-
by telling them they had ings that lent legitimacy to branch of the National Courtney pleaded guilty tion and found a 58-year-
been selected to partici- his business dealings with Institutes of Health known to a single count of wire old man shot to death on
pate in a classified CIA the various companies. as NITAAC, that the CIA fraud and faces up to 20 the tracks.
program. The officials included high- wanted to use NITAAC to years in prison when sen- He appeared to be a tran-
Courtney cheated 12 ranking DEA and military distribute billions of dollars tenced in October. sient who was camping
companies out of more officials. in classified contracts, and His attorney did not re- out overnight. It wasn't im-
than $4.4 million between One of the public officials, used the agency to pay turn an email seeking mediately clear when he
2012 and 2016 by con- identified only as civilian out funds to one of the pri- comment.q was shot.q