PASO ROBLES—The suspect who allegedly shot and killed a man and shot a San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s deputy early Wednesday was killed by police Thursday.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office identified the shooter as Mason James Lira, 26, a transient from the Monterey area.
Lira is accused of the shooting spree which began around 3:45am when he started shooting at the Paso Robles Police Department building, 900 Park St., the Sheriff’s Office said.
A Sheriff’s deputy who responded to the call was shot in the face. A short while later a local man was found shot to death at the Paso Robles train station, said Ian Parkinson of the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office.
A widespread search of downtown Paso Robles came up empty Wednesday but Paso Robles Police caught up to Lira in a riverbed Thursday evening.
Officers shot and killed Lira but not before he shot three officers during several shootouts that closed down large swaths of the surrounding area.
Law officials said that a California Highway Patrol officer, an Arroyo Grande Police officer and a deputy were shot. All three are in stable condition.
