In this afternoon’s 4pm press conference with John McMahon of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, confirmation of the events of yesterday in Big Bear and our surrounding communities were outlined. McMahon stated that a man matching Christopher Dorner’s description and consistent with his behavior was sighted in Big Bear after stealing a vehicle. The location of Dorner at that time was identified to be in a condo across the street from Bear Mountain Resort’s parking lot, and the Command Post Headquarters for much of this investigation. It is uncertain how long Dorner had been holed up at that vicinity. After proceeding down Highway 38, Dorner crashed that vehicle in the vicinity of Angeles Oakes prompting him to carjack a second vehicle, a white pick up truck. Deputies located that truck, also disabled, and Dorner fled on foot to a cabin in the area where he ambushed the deputies. A gunfight ensued where two deputies were shot. Deputy Alex Collins survived but was severely injured. He will recover but is expected to undergo multiple surgeries. The second deputy, Jeremiah McKay, 35, was pronounced dead at 2:24pm Loma Linda University Medical Center. McKay leaves behind a wife, and two children, aged 7 years and 4 months. He was currently stationed in Yucaipa but had been a deputy at the Big Bear Station. McMahon continued to say that he cannot positively identify the deceased suspect located in the burned out cabin to be Dorner but they are reasonably certain it is him. McMahon confirmed the use of two types of tear gas formulas used to lure Dorner out of the cabin. The first was a cold tear gas canister and the second was a pyrotechnics-type gas canister commonly referred to as “burners”. It is believed that the burners may have started the fire. Now, forensics will positively identify the remains but that may take some time. McMahon added the search for Dorner is over at this point.
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