Anonymous
On 6-11-20 at approximately 2:10 pm the Sheriff’s Office received a report of an officer shot in the area of Ramada Drive and Volpi Ysabel Road in Paso Robles. Law enforcement officers were stationed in this area as part of a containment team assigned to keep the suspect, Mason Lira, from evading officers who were beginning a search of the riverbed.
The wounded officer was evacuated from the scene and transported to a local hospital for treatment. Officers arrived at the scene and conducted a search for the suspect, when the suspect opened fire on the officers, wounding two of them. These officers were also evacuated and transported to local area hospitals for treatment. Officers continued their search for the suspect along the Salinas River when they encountered Lira, who had been hiding in the riverbed.
The suspect attempted to flee from the riverbed towards Highway 101 when he was shot by law enforcement officers. Mason Lira was pronounced deceased at the scene of the shooting. Officers found Lira in possession of two handguns that are believed to have been stolen from a commercial burglary in the City of San Luis Obispo a few days before the shooting of the Sheriff’s deputy on June 10th.
The officers wounded today are employed by the following agencies: California Highway Patrol Arroyo Grande Police Department Kings County Sheriff’s Office The officers transported to local area hospitals are in good condition with non life threatening injuries.
TYPE OF INCIDENT: Suspect Identified
DATE AND TIME OF INCIDENT: 6-10-20, Approximately 3:45 AM
PLACE OF OCCURRENCE: Paso Robles Police Department, 900 Park Street, Paso Robles
VICTIM INFORMATION: Male Sheriff’s Deputy
SUSPECT INFORMATION: Mason James Lira, 26, transient
DETAILS OF NEWS RELEASE: The Sheriff’s Office has identified a suspect in a shooting incident which killed a local man and seriously wounded a Sheriff’s Deputy in Paso Robles early this morning. The suspect has been identified as 26-year-old Mason James Lira, a transient from the Monterey area. Lira is accused of a shooting spree which began at approximately 3:45 AM today when he started shooting at the Paso Robles Police Department building. A Sheriff’s Deputy who responded to that call was shot in the face and later a local man was found shot to death at the Paso Robles train station. A widespread search of downtown Paso Robles was conducted but the suspect was not located. Lira is considered armed and dangerous. If a member of the public spots Lira, you are advised not to make contact with him. Instead call 911 and report his location to law enforcement.
The Sheriff’s Office is releasing the identity of the Deputy who was wounded in the active shooter incident which occurred on 6-10-20 in Paso Robles. The Deputy is identified as 28-year old Nicholas Dreyfus. He began with the Sheriff’s Office in October 2018. He is currently assigned to our North County Sheriff’s Station in Templeton. While searching for the suspect in the active shooter incident, Dreyfus was shot in the face. He was transported to a local hospital and then flown to a trauma center out of the area where he underwent surgery for his injuries. The surgery was successful. He is listed in guarded condition and his prognosis is good. Dreyfus is married. His wife and family members are with him as he recovers.
Source: San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Office
TYPE OF INCIDENT: Active Shooter
DATE AND TIME OF INCIDENT: 6-10-20, Approximately 3:45 AM
PLACE OF OCCURRENCE: Paso Robles Police Department, 900 Park Street, Paso Robles
VICTIM INFORMATION: Male Sheriff’s Deputy
SUSPECT INFORMATION: Hispanic male adult, approximately 5′ 8″ tall, 150-160 pounds with dark curly hair and beard
DETAILS OF NEWS RELEASE: On 6-10-20, staff on duty at the Paso Robles Police Department observed a male subject outside their building who was armed with a firearm. The suspect began shooting at the police building. The police department requested assistance of the Sheriff’s Office and CHP.
The suspect began firing at patrol cars as they entered the downtown Paso Robles area. Two Deputies who were working in the same patrol vehicle arrived on scene at approximately 4:00 AM to assist the other officers who were being fired upon. At approximately 4:19 AM, the two Deputies were searching the downtown area when they came under fire from the suspect. One of the Deputies was shot in the face by the suspect. The second Deputy returned fire at the suspect.
This Deputy then grabbed his wounded partner and removed him to a position of relative safety where he rendered medical aid. As other officers arrived at the Deputy’s location, firefighters from the Paso Robles Fire Department were able to get the wounded Deputy out of harm’s way and transport him to a local hospital. The Deputy was then flown to a trauma center out of the county where he was listed in serious but stable condition.
As more law enforcement resources arrived, a large systematic search for the gunman was conducted in the downtown area. That search has now been completed and Sheriff’s Detectives are currently investigating the shooting of the Deputy.
The FBI, the CHP and the California Department of Justice are providing technical assistance to Sheriff’s Detectives. Witnesses have described the suspect as an Hispanic male adult, 5′ 8″ tall, 150-160 pounds with dark curly hair and a beard. During the search, officers were notified of a man down at the Paso Robles train station near where the shooting incident began.
Officers found the deceased body of a 58-year-old male at approximately 7:00 AM. Coroner’s Detectives have determined the man was a victim of homicide. The homicide investigation is being conducted by the Paso Robles Police Department.
The shooting of the Deputy is being investigated by the Sheriff’s Office. Both investigations are continuing. Anyone who has information about the shootings is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 805-781-4550 or the Paso Robles Police Department at 805-237-6464.
To leave an anonymous tip you can call Crime Stoppers at (805) 549-STOP (549-7867). You can also submit your tip to Crime Stoppers by downloading the free mobile app at P3TIPS.COM or submit your tip through their website: www.slotips.org.
Spree killer…
Blue Lives Matter too!
Sounds like they might have another cop shot in Paso Robles Unconfirmed reports Cops responding mutual aide to the cp in Paso…
Just another reason they need Bearcats..
how does this make everyone feel about the anti cop protest…hopefully sick to your stomach. He just wanted to make it home tonight too
This guy wrote a weird book called “I am James.” it’s on Amazon check out his facebook page he has some weird crap on it about an unsolved murder…Interesting. @OOPS there are alot of people that just want to make it home and they get killed or hurt in many different ways personally I pray for all of them it is all I can do.
Yeah, he’s a great plan: let’s defund and incessantly criticize our law enforcement, release criminals early, and let the homesless live wherever they want.
Let’s see how that goes?
Dude wrote a book wonder if his shooting is connected to the recent shooting up near Santa Cruz…