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Law enforcement officers all over Southern California are on alert after the events of this morning in Riverside County. Police suspect that Christopher Dorner, the former LAPD officer believed to be behind the killings of a couple in Irvine, showed up in Corona early today and wounded an LAPD officer who was providing protection to a possible target. After a shootout Dorner fled and shot two Riverside police officers, killing one of them.
Freeway signs are warning motorists to call 911 if they see Dorner's gray Nissan truck. The LAPD is on citywide tactical alert and the California Highway Patrol issued a "blue alert" for Southern California warning that Dorner was "armed and extremely dangerous."
Dorner has posted a manifesto online that threatens "unconventional and asymmetrical warfare" against police and names several in the LAPD he feels a grudge against. He talks about going after his targets on or off duty and mentions the killing of children of his targets. Dorner reportedly is a trained sniper and says he is not afraid to die. "You have misjudged a sleeping giant. There is no conventional threat assessment for me."
Dorner's manifesto also targets "Those lesbian officers in supervising positions ...You are a high value target." KTLA posts what it says is the entire manifesto from Dorner.
LAPD Chief Charlie Beck has called a 10 a.m. press conference.
"We're asking our officers to be extraordinarily cautious just as we're asking the public to be extraordinarily cautious with this guy. He's already demonstrated he has a propensity for shooting innocent people. We can't provide a lot of information now because we're trying to capture him," said LAPD Cmdr. Andrew Smith. "We don't know where he is. We're looking for the public's help to locate this guy. Anybody who sees him or believes they see him or his vehicle should call 911."
Dorner's LAPD badge and ID were found near San Diego's airport and turned in to police. There are reports that he tried to steal a boat in San Diego and flee to Mexico earlier this week.
It appears police hunting for Dorner may have itchy trigger fingers. LAPD officers in Torrance this morning shot and wounded two people in a car that resembled Dorner's, but the victims were not connected to any threat against the LAPD. The LA Times says they were women delivering newspapers. Torrance police also fired at suspects this morning but apparently no one was hit.
10:20 a.m. Update: Chief Beck says the LAPD has assigned 40 protective details to locations around Southern California. He described Dorner's attacks as "extremely worrisome and scary...This is a vendetta against all of Southern California law enforcement." He summarily dismissed Dorner's rambling grievances against the LAPD and others, and called him a multiple murderer. Beck urged Dorner to turn himself in.
Beck said, by the way, that the two LAPD officers fired upon this morning were in Chino. He apparently misspoke and meant Corona.
1:15 p.m. update: KCAL 9's helicopter is over a possible reported sighting of Dorner's truck in the Big Bear area.
