23 March,2009 07:53 AM IST | | AFP
Four police officers were fatally shot and another was wounded in the northern Californian city of Oakland. The suspect was later killed by police.
Officials said the perpetrator first opened fire on two motorcycle police officers during a routine traffic stop, killing one and critically wounding the other, who died in hospital yesterday.
Police launched a manhunt for the man, who shot and killed two more officers before police fatally wounded him. A wounded officer was treated and released from hospital late Saturday.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger called the officers' deaths "tragic," and ordered state flags be flown at half-staff. News reports said that Schwarzenegger, who was in Washington over the weekend, was on route to Oakland yesterday.
"This is a tragic day for law enforcement officers everywhere," he said in a statement, adding the slain police had "dedicated their lives to public safety and selflessly worked to protect the people of Oakland."
The dead suspect, who was out of prison on parole and who had a long criminal record, was identified by police as Lovelle Mixon, 26.
