Sheyanne N Romero, Ron Holman and Luis Hernandez | Visalia Times-Delta

Visalia Times-Delta

Ron Holman/Visalia Times-Delta

A Tulare police officer has been shot and his partner, a police dog, is dead. It was the pairs first weekend on the job together, according to police.

While officers are left mourning the death of one of their own, Tulare County sheriff's detectives are investigating the events that led to the deadly officer-involved shooting on Sunday night.

Witnesses said "dozens" of shots were fired in the area of Tulare Avenue and Palm Street, west of the main city. There are multiple scenes in Tulare stemming from the shooting, police said.

One suspect was killed and another shooter is in "grave" condition in Visalia, Tulare Sgt. Jon Hamlin said.

The incident began around 7 p.m. in the city limits of Tulare when officers tried to pull over a vehicle with three people inside. The driver fled and officers took chase. The pursuit ended in rural Tulare County, west of Tulare city limits.

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Witnesses said police were chasing a late-model sedan at high-speeds. They estimated the sedan was topping 100 mph. The driver eventually pulled to the side of a nearby rural road.

A "gun battle" ensued and one officer was shot in the arm and torso. His bullet-proof vest likely saved his life, Hamlin said. Police didn't say what prompted the traffic stop or where it started.

As gunfire was being exchanged, the police officer's K9 partner, Bane, was shot and killed.

The police officer was taken to a nearby hospital and is expected to recover. Bane died at the scene. The police officer has not been identified.

It was the first weekend the partners worked together, according to Hamlin. The officer had just completed the five-week K-9 training.

Around 1 a.m., Tulare police escorted Bane to Tulare County Sheriff's Department Property and Evidence Facility on O Street. The public was invited to join the procession.

The suspected gunman was rushed to Kaweah Delta Medical Center in Visalia, according to police. He was taken into surgery for bullet wounds.

The third suspect, the driver, fled down the county road after shots rang out. He stopped ahead of a police barricade. Officers ordered him out of the car, he was forced to the ground and arrested.

He will be interrogated by police and could face charges stemming from the dog's death and shooting at officers. It's unclear if he fired at officers at any time during the incident.

The identity of the suspects has not been released.

Several other officers were involved. Additional officers were not injured.

Tulare County Sheriff's Department and California Highway Patrol were called to help. Law enforcement officers were at multiple scenes in Tulare, according to dispatchers.

Deputies will handle the officer-involved shooting. Tulare police will investigate the crime leading up to the shooting.

Luis Hernandez, lfhernan@visaliatimesdelta.com

Resident: 'You never suspect anything like this would happen.'

When Liz Zayas heard the gunshots Sunday night, she ordered her three daughters to lock themselves in the bathroom.

She feared for their safety.

The incident also made Zayas to leave her home and spend the night at her sister’s house in Lindsay.

“At first, it wasn’t bad. When I saw the activity of police, I thought this is serious,” she said. “When I realized the suspects’ vehicle had all the doors opened, that’s when it sat in for me.”

Zayas said they don’t have "that kind of activity" in the neighborhood.

A portion of Avenue 232, from Road 76 to Road 68, was closed to traffic overnight as personnel from the sheriff’s department investigated the shooting scene.

The vehicle, described by Zayas as a tan, four-door older model car, went west on Avenue 232, starting a chase. West of Road 76, the vehicle stopped and there was a shooting, police said.

Zayas said she heard up to six shots. After about a minute, there was a second string of shots.

Initially, Zayas said she was confused about the origin of the shooting.

“It sounded like it came from the barn,” she said.

Luis Hernandez

The barn, used by a nearby dairy, is located just north of her home. The shooting scene is to the south. From time to time, wildlife is scared away with loud noises.

Zayas said she is typically warned before that happens.

“I knew it was a different type of gunfire,” she said. “I ran to the window. I thought something was wrong.”

After ordering her daughters to hide in the bathroom, Zayas called 911 and walked out of her home to investigate.

After taking just a few steps outside, Zayas said she noticed emergency personnel, sirens were blaring and a fire truck, using portable lighting, lit up the scene.

“There was a car into a field,” she said.

The vehicle attempting to drive away from police had several bullet holes.

“It looked like the passenger side had the most,” she said.

Zayas said the deadly incident is hard to process.

“It’s really sad,” she said. “You never suspect anything like this would happen.”

Zayas also said her school-aged daughters have been asking questions about the officer’s health and his family. The news of the police dog dying is hard to take, she added.

After spending the night at her sister’s home, Zayas returned home early Monday.

She got ready to go to work and her daughters to school. She said dairy workers came by and asked about their well-being.

“We are pretty family oriented,” she said.