Officer involved shooting after suspect points gun at MCSO deputies

On 02-13-2018 at 9:25 AM the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office was notified of an armed robbery of a Chevrolet Camaro at Thurston Auto Plaza located at 2800 North State Street in Ukiah, California.

The suspect was described as being a white female adult and the Camaro was last seen traveling at a high rate of speed northbound on Highway 101 towards Calpella.

A short time later a Mendocino County Deputy Sheriff saw the Camaro traveling at a high rate of speed northbound on Highway 101 near the CalFire Howard Forest station a few miles south of the city of Willits.

The Deputy Sheriff attempted a traffic stop of the Camaro and a pursuit ensued at speeds over 100 MPH onto the Highway 101 bypass.

Additional Mendocino County Deputy Sheriffs joined the pursuit with assistance from officers from the Willits Police Department.

A short time later the Camaro crashed along the roadside of Highway 101 at Mile Post Marker 49.10 north of the bypass.

A white female adult exited the Camaro while holding a handgun and subsequently confronted the pursuing Deputy Sheriffs and Officers.

A shooting resulted and the white female adult died at the scene. No Deputy Sheriffs or Officers were injured as a result of the shooting.

Investigators from the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office were summoned to the scene and will be the lead investigative agency.

All media inquiries into the incident or investigation are being directed to the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office.

Highway 101 was closed to both directions of traffic to preserve scene evidence and it was expected to remain closed for several hours

Update:

On 02-14-2018 the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office Coroner's Division identified the white female adult as being Dawn Elika Center a 48 year-old female from Redwood Valley, California.

The three Deputy Sheriffs involved in the shooting incident have all be placed on paid administrative leave in accordance with Sheriff's Office standard procedure, pending the ongoing investigation by the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office.

The three Deputy Sheriffs involved in the shooting incident have been employed at the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office for a total of 30 years, 11 years and 4 years respectively.

Update 2:

On 02-16-2018 the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office received a Public Records Act request from a media outlet requesting the names of the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office employees who were involved in the officer involved shooting incident on 02-13-2018.

Base upon that request the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office is identifying the employees as being Lieutenant Kirk Mason (30 years of MCSO service), Deputy Miguel Vazquez (11 years MCSO service) and Jeremy Mason (4 years MCSO service).