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Subscribe to RSSSan Bernardino County (Calif.) Sheriff's Department officials describe the series of events that led up to their armed confrontation with Christopher Dorner.
Christopher Dorner, the former LAPD police officer who carried out a vengeful rampage against his fellow ex-cops and others, died of a single, self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head at the end of an intense firefight with police in rural Big Bear, Calif., authorities said Friday.
At a late-afternoon news conference, San Bernardino County authorities said that the cause of death was determined by an autopsy conducted Thursday by the county Coroner’s Office.
Authorities had been unsure whether Dorner killed himself, had been struck by a deputy's bullet or had died in a fire that engulfed the cabin during the shootout. The coroner's finding still must be finalized.
In their most detailed account to date of the final days and hours of the hunt for Dorner, 33, San Bernardino County sheriff’s officials said they tried to force the suspect to surrender before accidentally setting the cabin where he was holed up on fire when they shot a pyrotechnic chemical device inside.
Sheriff John McMahon also detailed the extent of the arsenal that Dorner had with him in his final days, which he spent eluding searchers in the mountainous area east of Los Angeles. Among the items recovered from the cabin where Dorner died and other locations and vehicles were numerous assault weapons; semiautomatic handguns; a .308-caliber, bolt-action sniper rifle; high-capacity ammunition magazines; a total of 10 suppressors or silencers; tear gas and smoke canisters; a military-style load-bearing vest; and a military-style Kevlar helmet, he said.
The sheriff also confirmed that Dorner spent most of his time on the run hiding in a condominium just steps away from the command center set up to find him. He said deputies had visited the unit, which was locked, on the evening of Feb. 7, but received no answer when they knocked on the door and then moved on.
Robyn Beck / AFP - Getty Images
Christopher Dorner
“It was locked and nobody answered,” he said. “… We were not going to kick the doors in.”
Sheriff’s Capt. Gregg Herbert also elaborated on the tactics used during the confrontation with Dorner at the cabin in the Seven Oaks area, saying that when deputies responded to the scene they noticed tracks in the snow in front of the cabin where Dorner had taken refuge. As Deputy Alex Collins, Detective Jeremiah Mackay and other officers were conversing in the street in an attempt to devise a plan to check on the cabin, Dorner opened fire on them, striking both deputies multiple times, Hebert said. The other deputies returned fire, and dodged an onslaught of bullets to get to the injured officers and drag them out of the line of fire, he said.
MacKay died later at an area hospital; Collins remains hospitalized after undergoing multiple surgeries. Dorner died hours later inside the cabin, after he and law enforcement officers exchanged hundreds of rounds.
Police had been seeking Dorner since last week, when they say he launched a deadly revenge campaign against the Los Angeles Police Department over his 2009 firing.
Related story
Police chief named in manifesto recalls 'the Chris Dorner that I knew'
Before launching his onslaught, he posted a rambling 1,400-word manifesto on Facebook in which he allegedly wrote that killing was “a necessary evil” to avenge his firing and also threatened other law enforcement officers and their families.
Before killing the deputy in the San Bernardino mountains, Dorner is suspected of slaying a couple in Irvine and a police officer in Riverside.
“Self Preservation is no longer important to me,” he wrote in the manifesto, a copy of which was made available to the media by authorities. “I do not fear death as I died long ago on 1/2/09.”
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Awwww...... too bad.
I bet he set his own cabin on fire a minute before offing himself. He probably went out hoping that the police would be blamed for his death.
You're an idiot.
No, it was probably the tear gas. Tear gas is notorious for catching fire easily. It doesn't take much.
The use of "burners" was a calculated one. Anyone that bothers to listen to the recordings of first responder radio chatter can clearly hear them use the term. Military-style/surplus "burners", as opposed to the non-incendiary tear gas alternative that was available to the San Bernadino Police.
They chose to use burners, and they actively prevented the Fire Department from extinguishing the blaze. Those are facts.
You simply haven't bothered to read the information available about this incident. You might want to research the term "confirmation bias".
What I would like to see is better spelling and grammer from the posters on this site. Talk about dumbing down America. At the very least learn how to use the spell checker.
It is interesting that the majority of spelling and grammar errors are committed by conservative posters.
know whey dewd!!!
What are you the grammar police? Quite the elitist.
"grammar" -- not grammer - a conservative who can spell.
an @!$%# who can type.
Good luck with that, Les. The dumbing down of America happened a long time ago.
Point out how poorly people are spelling and how poor their puctuation is and you are called the "grammar police" and/or "spelling Nazi." It's pretty sad.
I live in China at the moment and know a number of Chinese who speak English. It is, obviously, their second language. If and when someone learns they made a spelling error they are somewhat embarassed and want to correct it. A puncutation error? They want to be shown the proper way of doing it.
They properly recognize that when they write something it is a reflection of them. Something poorly written indicates slopiness, carelessness and lack of sufficient education. These people aren't happy even when they make an honest typographical error.
In America? It's OK to look illiterate. If you can't spell, rather than LEARN there is always a spell-checker to depend on.
Les A , Why does it bother you the way others are?. Are you thankful for the many people who have taken the time to contribute to this very important discussion. I appreciate the opportunity, but also wonder about ideas that others won't share because they feel intimidated . communication is a blessing , and takes more than good spelling to derive good from it. truth trumps being smart. and respect is wisdom above knowledge i for one was never a good speller , and i can not access my spell check. also some ppl might be impaired or use language their own way. remember the bible story about David"s answer to his men being critized of harvesting grain to eat on the saboth...God made the saboth for man;not man for the saboth. Enjoy yourself and encourage others.
He didn't kill the women he tied up or the guy whose car he hijacked. Because he had no vendetta against them. He did stick to his word. Condolences to his family, and the other families.
Jeanette-767450; he tied up a man and a woman, the couple who walked into their rental cabin to fix up while Dorner was hiding out there. He then asked for the keys to that same man's car, and took off. At least get your story straight if you are going to try to defend him. So he stuck to his word and killed the innocent daughter and her fiancee of the man who defended him at his hearing? What did any of them do wrong? Quit glorifying this guy; if you were married to a police officer and your daughter was killed, that sure would change things. Besides; the officer he killed and the one seriously wounded when he ambushed them were not even from the LAPD.
Who reimburses the homeowner for the police burning down their personal property. Not sure I would feel so happy had that been my cabin burning to the ground without the any effort to put the flames out.
Hopefully, the homeowner has adequate insurance. He or the insurance company may file a claim with the County of San Bernardino.
I'm sure recompense will be offered with a sense of urgency. The good and gentle hand of the LAPD would never expect a common citizen and victim of their negligence to suffer unduly for any amount of time.
Invisible Hand I think insurance companies have a clause about acts of terror and since the police called him a domestic terrorist I would imagine they will be jumping through that loophole or some other one. They don't really like to pay off on something like this. Publicity may force them otherwise but I wouldn't count on it.
We the taxpayers will pay for all this mess created by LAPD....neber will be the first time nor the last..
It was the San Bernardino Sheriffs Dept.that burned it to the ground. They would not allow LAPD on site. LAPD started it by allowing Teresa Evans to lie and she was brought up several time son brutality charges, promoted, charged again and forced into early retirement. She has blood on her hands as does Beck/Bratton. The little regard I had for law enforcement is gone.
If you read the Manifesto, you understand where he was coming from:
He knew he was going down this way.
Now they were reporting that he had tried to get out and he was forced back into the cabin , they wanted him dead , swat team you mean the murder squad , I have never seen a person come out of it alive once they send in the swat team. they did'nt want him alive for some reason other then he killed 4 cops
He did try to come out through the back door, he threw a smoke grenade. It was reported that it was at this time the officer was killed, but according to the chief, it was when they were out on the road, for you can hear in the video by the local channel, "Officer Down." The guy who had the pickup stolen said he heard the gunfight happening not even 10 seconds after Dornor drove off, so I find it hard to believe that they just stopped and were caught by surprise. The Game Wardens were engaging him when the sheriff Department drove up. The reporter talks about them coming back towards him telling him to get the blank out then all hell broke loose.
Rot in hell you coward sob!
Having read through all the post's up to date, I see the pen pals are out in force again. It was an exciting story to watch unfold, but now Dormer is dead and the lonely hearts want to rehash the whole story all over again with their spin on it. Are there that many people that are bored, stupid, or smart, to believe their opinion really matters?
If he was so innocent than why did he not give himself up and not shoot innocent people. He had enough media attention that he could have gone to their station and gave up. I think just another bad cop gone bad. I really think cops need to go through stress and mental test every year to see if they are fit to be on the force. No different than soldiers in war. They never get the help when they need it.
I would not trust the LAPD in 99% of what they say and do. They are a violent narcissistic gang. Who are never investigated and stifle the truth on every violent event they are involved in.
Sooner or later, the truth will come out......
So if nothing else works, what else is a person to do? Really, this is your answer. Start by getting out of your mama's basement. BTW, it's already illegal for judges to accept bribes. Where's your proof? There is none. If Dorner had followed the justice system, he would be breathing today as it is he met his justice. He was a coward, through and through. All through his life, college, navy etc, he was accusing others of racism. He was a little man and he knew it which is why he chose the path he did.
Of course he did. A man of honor wouldn't allow the victor to parade him through the streets in front of their chariots. As Caesar dictated the phrase repeated to his general = "All Glory, is fleeting". Thanks for saving us the trial money. Enjoy the voyage to Stovokor.
That is the most amazing factless story I have ever heard.
1. Prior to deploying the tear gas, not the 7 burners they had confirmed via audio blood spatter on the walls. "Buners are used to melt steel doors and engine blocks" Adio confirms "go with the plan, go with the burn" They never intended to do anything other than revenge the death of their fellow officer making them no better than Dorner. In fact they became Dorner.
2. Ammo in a fire is not as dangerous as there is no projectile involved
3. The found his drivers license intact in plactic. How? They went into the rear, found him with a gas mask, in heavy smoke and left him there rather than drag him out. Source: on scene officer
4. Audio shows fire being told to stand down and stay back the entire time via audio
5. This was vigilante justice by a lynch mob. At no time prior to this press conference, in audio, by any reporter or witness was the mention made they asked him to surrender.
6. This needs to be reviewed by an outside agencey, DOJ, FBI anyone but the SB Sherffs Dept.
I in no way condone Dorner's actions. I am more frightened by rogue law enforcement that not only failed to follow policy and procedure but becomes judge, jury and viligante. They should be removed starting with Chief John McMahon.
I want the truth not the media spin.
This is the method used to get Dillinger and Bonnie and Clyde etc...during the last Depression. The more things change...
This was state murder, and if they can get away with doing it to him, they can get away with doing it to you or your family/children.
Police are not supposed to be in the vengeance business - they are supposed to be members of the Justice System.
Members that uphold and defend the rule of law - not throw the law away when they get mad or the situation is personal to them.
Recordings of emergency bands clearly and undeniably reveal the intention on the part of the San Bernadino Police Department to burn Dorner alive - even going so far as to allow the fire to continue burning until even the basement was ash (a command officer can be heard asking if the basement ceiling was made of wood or concrete in service to that end).
Two different officers on scene could also be heard screaming 'Burn that mf-er! Burn that mf-er alive' in the background of a local tv report (this recording was not replayed, but can be found on youtube, for the time being).
The San Bernadino Police Officers that were directly involved in this 'action' are murderers, plain and simple.
Murderers.
The law is not something to be tossed aside when times are tough. The law is the law. If police are not capable of following the law, then they should not be allowed to represent the law, or be given power of any kind over the citizens of this country.
If they don't have to play by the rules, why should anyone else?
Shame too on the local media for their untenable, disgusting, self-censorship. The local media (including affiliates of national 'news' outfits) abdicated their journalistic responsibilities just as the police abdicated theirs.
America is allowing it's civilian police departments to become lawless paramilitary gangs, and it's going to be our undoing. This is serious, and it's just getting worse (note the attitude of many commenters... There is literally nothing police could do that they would not defend... Until they come to their own front doors, that is).
A paranoid, besieged, anti-citizen, anti-Constitution attitude is being passed from one generation of bad police to another - and we are doing absolutely nothing to stop it.
Ignore the entrenched, institutionalized, aggressive posture/attitude of American police at the peril of your own children, or your grandchildren.
Not since "Bonnie & Clyde" has there been more challenge to the system--right or not. This man never hurt anyone who was not on his manifsto, and he certainly could have. Chaiin of Command is very disruptive to real issues and this man, Dorner, was a captive to the bureuocracy. I'm not saying that he didn't have mental problems, but his actions proved that he was not our to hurt anyone outside of the law enforcement beaurocracy. Look at the DVE "The Invisible War" and you realize these people (sane or not) have nowhere to go. It's so sad that it came to this and that so many loyal people were sacrificed in the process. I truly hope that his claims are thoroughly investigated.
No one needs to go around killing people for treating them like sht. I have been treated that way many times but I don't kill people
I dont think you can blame the police department for developing a cohesive conscious and subconscious paradigm of self-reliance, self-protection, comradery, and basic survival instincts.
On the other hand, don't expect us not to call you out on the basic human nature of it, make you aware of it, and ask you to keep an eye out for it. (lest absolute power corrupt absolutly)
That's the problem, Robert: No one IS blaming them - and they should be.
This isn't some casual job. Civilian policing is a sacred trust. In a free society, there is no position more delicate and important that that of police officer.
We give there people power over life and death. We give these people the power to restrict the constitutional freedoms of poor and middle class civilians. It is right and proper - especially in light of the fact that no education is required (thus opening the ranks to a lot of personality types that might otherwise be excluded) - that they be held to the highest of standards. Currently, and for generations now, they are not.
The whole point of having police is the enforcement of law and the protection of the civilian population. Contrary to what almost every cop currently working would tell you, the "most important thing" is NOT that 'they go home safely to their families every night'. Just the opposite in fact. The most important thing is that the civilians they are charged with serving go home to their families every night. Far, far too often, police officers put the safety of themselves or their fellows ahead of that of innocent civilians. They want to enjoy the elevated social standing of someone who sacrifices their own safety for the public good, while protecting themselves from all of the dangers that actually justify that elevation - and they do it at the expense of public safety, obviously enough.
FAR too often "camaraderie" means "hiding the crimes of my fellow officers". The current paradigm all but guarantees that police will actively work to cover the crimes of other officer, lest those officers rescind their aid should the first officer ever need help.
These are not issues that the citizenry should 'ask them to keep an eye on'. When a people treat their civil protections in a casual manner such as that, they will soon find those protections no longer exist (as we have in fact discovered)
The police have absolutely no interest in having the rule of law or basic accountability applied to their own personnel. There are acres of evidence of this assertion throughout just the last couple of decades. A recent incarnation of this resistance to accountability are the efforts of many police departments to attempt to bar citizens from exercising their right to film police while engaging in their duties. Citizens filming police during protests and on the beat have been taken to court with the police asserting that the filming of on-duty police in a violation of their "privacy rights". Got a video of a cop beating someone to death? The police don't think you should be able to show it, as it would violate the guilty officer's "privacy" rights.
They have proven - almost without exception - that they are completely incapable/unwilling of policing themselves.
We need to establish a 4 year degree requirement for police at every level. That will rule out the dummies, many of the bullies, and those with aggressive personality disorders (and there are a LOT of them currently in uniform). It will allow us to establish a national standard of respect for the rights of citizens, as well as guaranteeing that the inbred attitude that places the lives of police over the lives of civilians receive a thorough deconstruction. I realize it sounds snobby, but a degree requirement will attract a higher quality recruit/cop. I live in a small town (less that 50,000), and I don't know all that many people. Having said that, I know of three men currently employed as cops in my town that were among the worst, most aggressive bullies during our school years. That's amazing. Basically, of the 5 really noteworthy bullies that I can recall from my younger days, 3 of them are now cops. This is not uncommon. I won't pretend for a second to understand the psychology at work, but it is important that so many childhood bullies grow up to seek a badge. That tells us something. Yeah, it's anecdotal, but I'd be willing to bet that if you spoke to 10 random people they could give you at least one example of this same dynamic.
Appropriately, they should receive a significantly higher salary with a degree - as well as better/more complete benefits for family while those officers are living and after.
"Protect and Serve", the motto goes. Until we completely overhaul civilian policing in America, it's a motto that a significant percentage of police will continue to think is intended to apply to their fellow police, rather than the citizenry that has granted them their extraordinary powers.
Nothing personal, Robert. I just think it's a crucial issue, and sometimes I feel like people aren't thinking critically enough about the dynamics at work. No offense to you intended with my disagreement.
There is no question about how bad L.A.P.D. is. Most of us over sixty years old remember how the L.A.P.D. was made into a good police department, at least in the eyes of the general public by television producer Jack Webb, with his television series, Dragnet.
Having said that, has anyone considered how Dorner got into the police department in the first place. Do you really believe that he took a psycological exam and actually passed it. Was this a case of affirmative action gone bad?
p, when you make a statement you have the paperwork to back it up. please take your paperwork to backup your's to the proper people so these "bad lapd" people can be brought to justice.
He did to one person in the media field he trusted, Anderson Cooper and we still haven't heard anything of what was on that dvd he gave him.
Maybe he was a coward but what about LAPD they had a plan to burn the cabin in the beginning check YouTube police scanner recording .You mean out of hundreds of law enforcement officers none was a good enough shot to take him out to where they had to burn the cabin. LAPD keep saying they have nothing to hide so why was live shots on TV was stopped there was no power in the cabin for him to watch it on tv .why officers were yelling burn the mother f^&%$r burn him. look to me that Doner wasn't the only cowards on the scene
It was the San Bernardino Sheriff Dept that held the siege. They would not allow LAPD near it.
it was easy when it was an unarmed woman...when he had to face armed grown men he folded like a punk. yep i call that a coward.
Along time ago,I had sued the government several times in their judicially courts (EEOC, Merit System Protection Board) and in federal courts. I had consulted 20-30 lawyers, and I found out that I need to give them 10-20,000 dollars just to start the case even that my case was fairly good. I filed several complains/law suits on my own, and they were lost or dismissed because of technicalities. Because of kindness/caring, three Circuit Judges (Court of Appeal for the Federal Circuit, 3rd district) took the time to review my law suit and reversed the lower court decisions. The government lawyers were so upset, they appealed to the full Circuit Court (9 members) and the Supreme Court, but the courts refused to hear the case so they had to settle with me.
Dorner had my sympathy because I knew how hard it is to sue the government, and I knew his anger, pain and suffering. Rest in Peace.
what are you all talking about. conspiracies, the police this and that what does it matter the sick pathetic murdered is done amen
I try very hard not to play the race card in every complaint, every issue, everything that goes on in these United States. I understand from what I have read, Mr. Dorner, was suffering from some form of depression. I understand that he fought in some wars. The most hurtful and damaging war is the war of racisim. When you are told that you cannot do something that your peers, of a different nationality ARE allowed to do, and you SEE that they are allowed to do it, how does that make you feel? It hurts. It is in some cases, devastating. Because you think you are doing the same as someone else is doing. Although you are, the color of your skin makes it wrong.
Mr. Dorner had no outlet to discuss his grief. Has anyone ever tried to file any race discrimination cases against a company or an individual in the company where you are employed? Do you knw how difficult it is to prove?
Have you fought in a war and was honorably discharged when your time is up - decided by you or "uncle sam" - and tried to return to what we call CIVILIAN LIFE, suffering from PTSD? I've not. But, I tell you - PTSD, racism, and ALWAYS fighting to do what's right - is not an easy day to day task.
The LAPD was not hearing anything this man said. He wasn't a boy. He was a man - had fought to retain the freedom we all enjoy and love. And was treated like a second class citizen.
I go to work, pay taxes, pay bills, am a law abiding citizen like everyone else that lives here. But, just yesterday, I ran into a coworker who looked at me like she could scalp me right where I stood. because I know that look and encounter it everyday of my natural Black life, you think I don't laready know, from that look how she feels about me?? No it may not make a difference right now, but, maybe one day it will.
He was fighting for all of the men, women and children who have been lied to, cheated on, and discriminated against in this life.
Look at the people who have disrespected President Obama. You think it's because of something he said? It has already been said that they've done it because he's a Black man. Not many white men like a Black man doing anything better than they can. Not many at all.
cookbook, you have the ability to devine your coworkers intent. you should take your act to las vagas and make a million dollars.
Is it me or was this a poorly written article.
They left out the two Riverside sheriffs that were also shot.
It was horrible, the press conference a joke and the entire thing a web of lies.