Palmdale, California – The man accused of fatally shooting a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy in an ambush appeared in court today, entering a dual plea of not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity. Kevin Salazar, 29, was arrested on Monday for the murder of 30-year-old Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer at a Palmdale stoplight.
The charges against Salazar include murder and several special circumstance allegations, such as murdering a peace officer, lying in wait, firing from a car, and using a firearm. Despite the serious charges, he pleaded not guilty to all of them and also entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. Salazar is being held without bail.
The defense attorney, George Rosenstock, did not provide further details about the dual plea. However, he stated that it is the responsibility of counsel to evaluate all possible defenses.
Deputy Clinkunbroomer was fatally shot while leaving the Palmdale Sheriff Station in his patrol vehicle. He was in uniform and driving a marked patrol car when the shooting occurred at a red light on Sierra Highway and Avenue Q.
Police received a tip from a witness who recognized the suspect car from a wanted flyer. The tipster claimed to have been involved in an unreported road rage incident with the same car and driver the previous week.
After an hourslong standoff at his Palmdale residence, Salazar was apprehended by SWAT officers from the sheriff’s department on Monday. The sheriff, Robert Luna, condemned the attack during a press conference, expressing frustration that the suspect was not peacefully apprehended despite being given the opportunity to surrender.
Salazar’s sister has revealed that he has schizophrenia and was not mentally stable at the time of the alleged shooting. However, the sheriff emphasized that mental health issues should not diminish the severity of the crime.
Deputy Clinkunbroomer, a third-generation law enforcement officer, had served the department for eight years as a field training officer. Authorities have not yet determined a motive for the shooting.
If Salazar’s schizophrenia is confirmed, the court will need to assess his fitness to stand trial. Legal experts say that if found competent, his defense may argue that he did not know right from wrong at the time of the murder, due to his mental illness.
The investigation into this tragic incident is ongoing, as law enforcement officials seek to uncover more details surrounding the motive behind the attack.
(Note: NBCLA’s Jonathan Lloyd contributed to this report.)
