MENDOCINO Co., 2/20/18 — The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office has released the names of the the three deputies who were were involved in shooting and killing a robbery suspect last week. Lieutenant Kirk Mason, Deputy Miguel Vazquez and Deputy Jeremy Mason all fired their weapons at Dawn Elika Center, after she stole a Camaro from Thurston Auto Plaza, then led law enforcement on a high-speed chase from Ukiah to the north end of the Willits Bypass. Center died at the scene.
In a press release issued today the MCSO stated that a Public Records Act (PRA) request had been filed by a media organization, and that the release of the names was in response to the request. In an email to The Mendocino Voice a spokesman for the MCSO stated that all three men fired their weapons.
Kirk Mason has been part of the MCSO for 30 years, Miguel Vazquez for 11 years and Jeremy Mason for 4. All three were placed on paid administrative leave while the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office conducts an investigation into the shootings, as per MCSO protocol.
Here is the relevant section of the press release, which was issued as an update to previously issued press releases:
UPDATED PRESS RELEASE 02-20-2018
On 02-16-2018 the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office received a Public Records Act request from a media outlet requesting the names of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office employees who were involved in the officer involved shooting incident on 02-13-2018.
Base upon that request the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office is identifying the employees as being Lieutenant Kirk Mason (30 years of MCSO service), Deputy Miguel Vazquez (11 years MCSO service) and Jeremy Mason (4 years MCSO service).
Approved by:
Captain Gregory L. Van Patten
And here is our previous coverage:
Law enforcement kill female suspect after high speed chase — CalTrans reporting 101 now open
Adrian Fernandez Baumann, [email protected]
