SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) — A deputy has died and another is injured following a shooting Saturday in the Santa Cruz mountains, according to officials.
Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38, was identified as the deputy killed, officials confirmed in a press conference held Saturday evening by the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
Sgt. Gutzwiller leaves behind a wife and young child, with another on the way. A vigil will be held for him Sunday at 2:26 p.m. outside the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
Around 1:30 p.m., officers received a call about a suspicious van parked off the road near Jamison Creek and Boulder Creek. The caller saw guns and bomb making materials inside the van.
When deputies arrived, the van was seen leaving the area and then tried to follow it. Deputies found the van at a home on Waldeberg Road in Ben Lomond.
As deputies began to investigate, officials say they were shot at with gunfiere and multiple improvised explosive devices.
Sgt. Gutzwiller was shot and taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Another deputy was either shot or struck by shrapnel and struck by a car as the suspect fled the property.
Calls of a carjacking nearby soon followed as officers from departments throughout Santa Cruz County began arriving to the area, several of whom were involved in the arrest of the suspect, Steven Carrillo, who was reportedly armed was shot during his arrest.
Video sent in by a viewer shows the apparent arrest the suspect.
Warning: Video may contain sensitive material
The suspect survived and was treated and released from the hospital. He will be arrested for the murder of Sergeant Gutzwiller and other felonies.
Damon was a patrol supervisor and worked for the Sheriff’s Office since 2006.
“Words cannot express the pain we feel for Damon and his family,” Sheriff Jim Hart said, “He was the kind of person we all hope to be. Today, we lost a hero. We are grateful to have known him and we mourn with his family.”
The woman who witnessed Carrillo being arrested joined KRON4 to open up on what she witnessed.
Clara Ricabal said she was driving by and noticed police barricades in the area so she pulled over and talked with a neighbor.
The two got together to try and figure out what was going on.
As she got closer to the home where the suspect was arrested, she saw a man on top of the suspect in an effort to hold him down.
She later learned that the suspect approached a man “Sam” and attempted to carjack him. After Sam gave Carrillo his keys, Carrillo turned around and walked towards the car when Sam jumped on top of him, Clara says.
The man in the white shirt, Clara identifies as “Eric”, stood nearby to help.
The District Attorney’s Office is investigating the case.
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