Ryan Clinkunbroomer: Verdict reached in trial of man accused in LASD deputy’s slaying
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LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. - On Monday, a jury reached a verdict in the trial of Kevin Eduardo Cataneo Salazar, the man accused of killing Los Angeles County Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer during an ambush attack in 2023.
What we know:
Ryan Clinkunbroomer was shot in the head near the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Palmdale station on Sept. 16, 2023, while stopped at a red light in a patrol car.
The suspect, Kevin Cataneo Salazar, was arrested two days later following a standoff with authorities at the Palmdale home he shared with his family.
Video from the scene showed deputies appearing to fire a gas canister through a window. A short time later, Salazar emerged from the home with his arms stretched out by his sides. Following orders from deputies, he removed his shirt, slowly backed away from the residence, and was taken into custody. Authorities also recovered the vehicle of interest and numerous firearms at the home.
The third-generation deputy was 30 years old and had recently engaged at the time of his death.
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Dig deeper:
In November 2023, the slain deputy’s family filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. The lawsuit accused county leaders of knowingly putting the lives of law enforcement officers at risk by enforcing excessive amounts of mandatory overtime.
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What's next:
Salazar pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, so jurors will return to court Wednesday for the next phase of the trial to determine if he was sane at the time of the crime.
His family said in a previous interview with the LA Times that he had schizophrenia.
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The Source: City News Service contributed to this report. This story was also written with information from previous FOX 11 reports.