A California jury has convicted Kevin Salazar, 32, of the murder of Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer. The conviction came Monday after a week-long trial for the 2023 ambush that killed Clinkunbroomer, who was shot while stopped at a red light near the sheriff's Palmdale station.
Jurors deliberated for approximately 2 1/2 hours before reaching their verdict. They found Salazar guilty of first-degree murder, along with special circumstance allegations including murder of a peace officer, lying in wait, and firing from a vehicle, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
Clinkunbroomer, 30, was killed on Sept. 16, 2023. Authorities stated that Salazar followed Clinkunbroomer from the Palmdale Sheriff's Station to an intersection less than a block away. Salazar then pulled alongside the deputy's marked patrol car and fired a .22 revolver into it before speeding away. Clinkunbroomer was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Salazar was arrested two days later at his family's home in Palmdale following a standoff. He had raised an insanity defense.
Brad Gage, an attorney representing the Clinkunbroomer family, noted that the guilty verdict provides some solace but stated that the suspect's motives remain unclear. "As far as we know, there was no reason," Gage told Fox News Digital. "It was just execution of a police officer."
The court is scheduled to proceed to a sanity-deciding phase for Salazar on Wednesday to determine if he will be sent to prison or a state mental hospital.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman issued a statement after the verdict, saying, "We hope today’s guilty verdict brings a measure of healing to Deputy Clinkunbroomer’s family and loved ones."
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna stated, "Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer will never be forgotten." Luna added, "We will forever honor his service, his sacrifice and the badge he proudly wore."
Clinkunbroomer was a third-generation member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. His grandfather, father, and brother also served in law enforcement.
Following Clinkunbroomer's death, his family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the county, alleging that understaffing and mandatory overtime had contributed to his vulnerability during the ambush. However, the county was dismissed from the suit due to workers' compensation protections. The family opted not to pursue a civil case against Salazar.
In January, a Department of Parks and Recreation sports complex will be renamed in Clinkunbroomer's honor.