1:48 PM: It appears that two deputies were injured by Dorner in a shootout in the Big Bear area. He appears to be cornered in a cabin.
According to the LA Times, the incident began when Dorner was holing up in a cabinburglarizing a home and tied up a couple, when two women came in to clean it, and surprised Dorner. He tied them up and took their vehicle. Somehow they got loose and called the theft of the vehicle in. In any case, they described their vehicle, which the San Bernardino officers then tracked and located the person believed to be Dorner.
The radio traffic is pretty crazy, but if you’re following the breaking situation, try this feed.
2:06 pm, Okay, 2 injured officers are being transported to a hospital.
As many as 40 SWAT are en route to the mountains, along with two LAPD ‘copters.
2:15 pm Howard Stern Show prank called KCBS/KCAL9 pretending to be Fish and Game cop, in the midst of the standoff. Really???? REALLY???? (These are the moments when one has serious reservations about the intelligence of one’s species.)
THE SWAT POSITIONS are being mistakenly broadcast on an open channel. Other law enforcement just got on the radio and told them to cut it the F— out! (Except that they didn’t drop any F-Bombs. That is my editorializing.)
2:25 pm: Officers being told NOT to fire unless they “see something from the house” (where Dormer is barricaded).
(Stay safe, y’all, by the way.)
2:28 pm, law enforcement broadcasting that they have enough personnel on the scene and that anybody else who is headed up, can turn around.
2:47 pm, LAPD Press Conference at 3 pm.
2:48 pm: LA Times reports that 100s of rounds exchanged in the earlier gun battle with Dorner.
3:06 pm – LAPD’s Andrew Smith leads presser and confirms most of what I’ve posted above.
Right now, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s are calling the shots as the lead agency. LAPD resources have “gone up there,” but are waiting at the airport, awaiting further instructions.
However, the LAPD, says Smith, has officers embedded with the SBSD, including a deputy chief.
“Everyone is very hopeful that this whole thing can end without any further bloodshed. But until this guy’s in hand cuffs, none of our guys are going to rest.”
It still isn’t 100 percent confirmed that the barricaded suspect is Dorner, but obviously everyone believes that it is indeed Dorner.
3:49: One of the injured officers reportedly has died. We are heartsick.
Meanwhile, as the TV news merrily broadcasts, the SB Sheriff’s Department has asked reporters to stop tweeting altogether. #GoodLuckWithThat.
3:52 pm: LA Times and FoxLA and others have confirmed the officer’s death. He was treated and pronounced dead at Loma Linda Hospital. The officer killed is from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. A Fox LA reporter who knows him, said that his wife just had a baby. “This is a guy who’s really liked,” she said, “really friendly. He plays bagpipes. Officers are so upset!”
Terrible, terrible, terrible.
No status on the other officer.
4:23 pm: Media reporting house where Dormer holed up may or may not be on fire. Smoke rising. Visuals from copter shots.
Smoke was grey white, and now has turned dead black as I see. That’s fire, not smoke bombs. Okay, KCBS/CNN has somehow managed to get its ‘copter closer, and we can see that the cabin is on fire, bigtime.
4:37 pm: Fire likely caused by some kind of tactical device, Flashbangs, probably, says Bill Bratton on CNN, who seems to be in the loop. Then they must have ignited something.
After that, SWAT was reportedly deployed, but this isn’t absolutely confirmed. Speculation is that SWAT may have gotten Dorner out. But this is now sounding unlikely.
Again, all unconfirmed.
Reporters are hearing ammunition exploding.
Rumors abound. Dorner is down (or not). Footprints leading away from the cabin to the horse corral, and Dorner has ridden away, cowboy style. (Or not. Not believing that one, frankly.)
4:51 pm – Second deputy is in surgery right now and is expected to survive.
Okay, spokeswoman slipped. Said, “This is an active crime scene.” Read that however you want. Does SBSD know something definitive?
4:57 pm: Something has changed. The on the ground KCBS reporter is saying that the officers “seem to be calming down.”
5:16 pm: San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Cindy Bachman says that officers believe that the man believed to be Dorner is inside the cabin. But the whole tone of law enforcement feels like it has transformed.
The implication, while not expressly stated, is that it is indeed Dorner inside, and that he must be dead.
5:20 pm – No water is being put on the cabin. It’s simply being allowed to burn out.
5:30 pm – Police in Irvine wearing shrouds over their badges to honor Riverside police officer killed, and San Bernardino Sheriff’s deputy who was shot and killed today, Tuesday, with another SBSD badly injured but expected to survive.
The funeral of 34-year-old Riverside officer Michael Crain will take place Wednesday, with Governor Jerry Brown in attendance. Officer Crain was reportedly very well-liked, and leaves behind a wife and two young children. Heartbreaking, all of it.
5:38 pm – KFI reports that a single gunshot was heard inside the cabin after it began to be engulfed in flames. This rumor has been going around but KFI’s report seems more credible.
KCBS reports the single shot now.