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Deputies recover pellet rifle during search for Lancaster shooting suspect

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(Left) SWAT deputies descended on the scene via helicopter on Wednesday, Aug. 21. [Image via LASD SEB Twitter] (Right) Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris at a press conference shortly after the shooting.
UPDATE: After getting interrogated, Deputy Angel Reinosa admitted that there was no sniper, no shots fired and no gunshot injury, and he actually caused the holes in his uniform shirt by cutting it with a knife, officials said. Read our UPDATED STORY at: https://www.theavtimes.com/2019/08/25/lancaster-deputy-fabricated-claim-that-he-was-shot/

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LANCASTER- Authorities are continuing their investigation into the Aug. 21 shooting of a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy inside the Lancaster Sheriff Station’s parking lot.

A pellet rifle was recovered from one of the apartments in the complex adjacent to the station, but whether the pellet rifle was the weapon fired at 21-year-old Deputy Angel Reinosa is yet to be determined, according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Information Bureau. No arrests have been made.

“The deputy’s uniform and the pellet gun will be sent to the sheriff’s department’s crime lab for forensics testing,” the news release states.

“The deputy sustained a non-penetrating wound to the top of his right shoulder that left a minor injury. Damage consistent with a gunshot was noted to the top right shoulder area of the deputy’s uniform shirt,” the news release states.

The shooting happened around 2:48 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21, in the parking lot of the station at 501 W. Lancaster Boulevard.  Deputy Reinosa was going to his personal vehicle in the parking lot at the time of the shooting, said Capt. Todd Weber of the sheriff’s Lancaster Station.

“He is doing great, has a minor wound, is in high spirits and should make a full recovery. Very lucky,” Weber said Wednesday.

Reinosa was treated at a hospital and released. He has been with the sheriff’s department for one year and was assigned to patrol training at the Lancaster station in May, Weber said.

A containment perimeter was quickly set up following the shooting. The four-story apartment building where the shots were believed to have originated was locked down, as was a nearby school. The campus was later evacuated and students were released to their parents.

Dozens of SWAT deputies descended on the scene via helicopter and armored vehicles. Tactical teams checked each apartment and determined whether residents were better off sheltering in place or going to an evacuation center staffed by the American Red Cross, Weber said.

Late Wednesday night, the sheriff’s department tweeted that the active search had concluded and two adults were detained for being uncooperative during the operation. About 5:30 Thursday morning, the sheriff’s department reported that the search of the apartment building and surrounding area was fully concluded.

“Investigators believe this was an isolated incident and that the area is safe for the community. No suspect was located,” the sheriff’s news release states.

Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris said the apartments “cater to the mentally ill” and he expressed concern about the location of the complex so close to the sheriff’s station.

“Of course it’s insanity,” Parris said. “It’s outrageous to have that population in that location. Thank God we don’t have a funeral.”

UPDATE: View video from the mayor’s press conference on Aug. 21, shortly after the shooting:

 

UPDATE: Mayor Parris takes questions from reporters on Wednesday, Aug. 21:

Previous related story: Deputy wounded in ambush outside Lancaster Sheriff’s Station

28 comments for "Deputies recover pellet rifle during search for Lancaster shooting suspect"

  1. Y’all talk soo much sh*t about Perris but when has any of you even considered recalling him? Seriously either man the f*ck up and recall his *ss or shut the f*ck up ya hipocrytes! Y’all the reason we’re in this f*cking mess to begin with by not voting or voicing your American rights

  6. Why because that’s what the sheriff’s department says I still say there’s something not right

    And now there was two people in the parking lot. ? How this story changes

    • If there was two they could have had an old school cowboy western shoot out in the parking lot.

  7. R. Rex said it was insane to have a place where insane people are housed right next door to the Sheriff station. Those buildings require permits.
    Let’s see…whgo was the mayor when thgose buildings were being permitted? Hmmmm….

    • R. Rex being insane may have some insight into the insanity of what he and his power brokers did in putting that building there.

    • It sure was not his idea but he was in on it. Rex sells us out any time he has a chance to. It is scary to think about all the other plans he is working on at the moment. While they make the money we as a community continue to suffer.

  8. All those waisted resources for a pellet gun. If you grew up in the AV in the 80’s and 90’s then you most likely got shot by a pellet gun by a brother, or friend playing around. We didn’t make national news or have SWAT fly in on a chopper. This kid deputy should have the nickname BB till he retires.

  9. Rex Parris, you are a lying liar! You talk about reality, but you know you are lying, and you are distancing yourself in a very obvious way from reality, which is, that you are responsible for those apartments being built. You have your dirty hands in everything that goes on in Lancaster, and now you act surprised, and horrified by this incident! You’re narcissistic personality tells you to throw anyone under the bus by any means necessary when you’re confronted with the mess you’ve created. You spineless, yellow coward. I’m sorry for the rant.

  10. Lancaster crime index: 19 out of a 100; 100 being safest, and Lancaster Blvd. and vicinity is a high crime area.

  11. Pellet rifle sniper still at-large. Rex Parris knew all along, and was involved in the those apartments being placed at that location.

    • Yes he was Alexis. Parris lies about the apartment’s tenants, too. Just like he tries to make the homeless a scapegoat for his failed public safety policies, he trying to scapegoat Mental Health America and the people they are trying to help. He is a disgrace to our city.

  12. Like I said from beginning..Mr Rex Harrass is just doing that and laying blame so he gets people wild up to agree with what he wants done..Just like renaming Lancaster City Park Sgt Steve Owen..Yah really everyone believes that story..and the persons arrested last night for not cooperating..Would you if you have police saying you did it where’s the gun or yelling at you..No one trust police in the area because they always harassing someone ESPECIALLY if there black, homeless, or just passing by..And when someone actually needs help they play the I didn’t get the call or they were busy someplace else in Lancaster even though There station is literally down the block on the corner of the Blvd..Hey did they find the person who ran over the man down the block??NO! What about all the missing Adults & Children in the AV? Ahh THAT’S A NO!

  14. I’m sorry but something doesn’t sound right about this whole story
    you say it’s a gunshot then it’s a BB gun a block away
    But they can’t find who shot it maybe this new Deputy shot himself and you’re trying to cover it up.
    It wouldn’t be the first time a deputy shot himself or a LAPD officer

  15. Anyone know the MOA of a pellet rifle operated by a Liberal Democrat on government subsidies?

    • Hey Spastic
      Wild speculation is cover for “got nothing” from political hacks. How long have you lived in that building?

      • “How long have you lived in that building?”

        LMAO, good one, politics notwithstanding.

    • I’m sorry but something doesn’t sound right about this whole story
      Where did you say it’s a gunshot then it’s a BB gun a block away
      But they can’t find who shot it maybe this new Deputy shot himself and you’re trying to cover it up.
      It wouldn’t be the first time a deputy shot himself or a LAPD officer

      • Might be the first time a Deputy shot himself inside the sheriff parking lot with a pellet gun that was found next door. Read the article. They couldn’t pin the shooter because pellet guns don’t leave obvious residue when fired. They couldn’t know it wasn’t a real gun without collecting evidence first. Two adults were detained, the gun, vest and pellet are in forensics. I can’t see how they could have done this any differently.

        • Why because that’s what the sheriff’s department says I still say there’s something not right

  17. Build a wall, ban high capacity pellet rifles, and give Rex a high output go cart for Christmas … that should do it!