(KRON) — A Monterey County Sheriff’s deputy was reportedly shot Wednesday and a suspect was barricaded inside a building in Salinas. The shooting prompted shelter-in-place orders for the surrounding area and a standoff ensued for several hours.
Sheriff Tina Nieto declined to confirm if the deputy was attempting to serve an eviction notice to a resident before he was injured on East Market Street. The sheriff said, “It was a police type of action. It has had a tragic consequence. The deputy is OK, but it’s going to be a long recovery.”
As of 5 p.m., the shelter-in-place order remained in effect and the suspect was still barricaded. “This is an ongoing, evolving situation, We thank the public for sheltering in place and staying out of the area,” Nieto said.
With assistance from FBI crisis negotiators, deputies attempted to communicate with the suspect to resolve the standoff peacefully. Nieto said she does not want anyone else to get hurt, including the suspect.
Salinas Mayor Kimbley Craig wrote Wednesday morning, “Please pray for the safety of our officers, firefighters, and everyone at the scene right now. PLEASE SHELTER IN PLACE IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS. And please take a moment to pray for the Monterey County Deputy who was reportedly shot.”
Monterey County officials sent an alert shortly before 10 a.m. about the shelter order for homes and businesses south of Calle Cebu, north of East Market Street, east of Peach Drive and west of Highway 101.
The deputy was taken to a hospital with undisclosed injuries. On Wednesday afternoon, the deputy was still undergoing surgery but “out of the woods,” county officials wrote.
The sheriff declined to release any details about the suspect to avoid “tarnishing” the investigation.