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WEBVTT FAMILY. BUT HIS DREAMS WERE CUT SHORT AND NOW POLICE ARE SEARCHING FOR HIS KILLER. A QUIET MOBILE HOME PARK, NAT TOW TRUCK. , JOLTED INTO ALERT MODE TODAY. THIS NEIGHBORHOOD OFF RIVER ROAD IN STANISLAUS COUNTY SUDDENLY BECAME THE CENTER OF AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE KILLING OF NEWMAN POLICE OFFICER RONIL SINGH. POLICE TOWED AWAY THIS SILVER DODGE RAM PICKUP TRUCK. THE VEHICLE OF A SUSPECTED COP KILLER. NOW, THERE’S A MANHUNT FOR THE DRIVER, THIS MAN. CAPTURED ON SURVEILLANCE CAMERA AROUND 1:00 A.M. AT A CONVENIENCE STORE IN NEWMAN. HE’S SUSPECTED OF SHOOTING AND KILLING CORPORAL SINGH DURING A TRAFFIC STOP CHRISTMAS NIGHT. IT WAS SHOCKING. -- >> IT WAS SHOCKING. WE HAD NO IDEA. MARLEI: NEIGHBORS SAY THE SUSPECT LIVED IN THIS MOBILE HOME FOR ABOUT A YEAR, WITH A WOMAN AND A YOUNG BOY. ARFEL HERNANDEZ WORRIES ABOUT HIS SISTER AND HER CHILDREN WHO LIVE ACROSS THE STREET. >> THEY ALL USUALLY ARE HERE PLAYING WITH THEIR BIKES AND EVERYTHING. SO IT WAS KIND OF CONCERNING. MARLEI: LESS THAN 5 MILES AWAY, A MEMORIAL GROWS IN OFFICER SINGH’S MEMORY. IN ADDITION TO CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, BLUE LIGHTS, FLOWERS, CANDLES AND BALLOONS NOW MARK SINGH’S END OF WATCH. ADAM RUIZ DROPPED OFF WHITE FLOWERS SYMBOLIZING LOYALTY. HE WAS SCARED OF POLICE OFFICERS UNTIL HE MET OFFICER SINGH. ADAM SAYS THE CORPORAL WOULD PLAY BASKETBALL WITH KIDS AT SCHOOL. >> HE WAS A REALLY CHILL, REALLY COOL GUY. MARLEI: HIS GRANDMOTHER CHOKED UP BECAUSE SINGH PROTECTED HER FAMILY. >> I JUST FEEL SO BAD BECAUSE IT’S A SMALL TOWN AND LIKE MY DAUGHTER SAID, HE WAS ALWAYS PATROLLING. HE WAS ALWAYS SMILING. GOOD GUY. MARLEI: MANY IN THIS TOWN OF 11,000 PEOPLE FELT CONNECTED TO SINGH. EVEN FOLLOWING THE OFFICER AND HIS K9 PARTNER ON INSTAGRAM. >> HE POSTED ON CHRISTMAS EVE THAT IT SUCKS, I’M WORKING OUT HERE. AND I COMMENTED ON THERE SAYING THANK YOU FOR KEEPING NEWMAN SAFE. AND TWO DAYS LATER THIS HAPPENED TO HIM. MARLEI: JUSTIN VANTASSEL SAYS SINGH WAS A FAMILY MAN. HE LEAVES BEHIND A WIFE AND A 5-MONTH-OLD SON. >> WHERE HE WAS KILLED IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM WHERE THEY USED TO LIVE. THAT’S WHAT GOT ME. MARLEI: WITH JUST 13 SWORN IN OFFICERS, SINGH IS THE FIRST IN THE DEPARTMENT’S HISTORY TO BE KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY. HIS DEATH SHAKING UP THE SMALL TOWN HE PROTECTED. >> IT’S KIND OF LIKE YOUR LITTLE SAFE HAVEN IS NOT A SAFE HAVEN ANYMORE. MARLEI: IN THE SHORT TIME WE’VE BEEN HERE IN NEWMAN. IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE KNEW CORPORAL SINGH. PEOPLE VISITING HIS MEMORIAL SAW HIM AROUND TOWN, AT SCHOOL. EVEN AT THE PIZZA SHOP DOWN THE ROAD, THEY ALL KNEW AND LOVE

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A Newman police officer was shot and killed during a traffic stop Wednesday morning and the suspect is on the run, the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department said.The officer was identified as 33-year-old Ronil Singh. Officials said the suspect has been identified, but the Sheriff's Department is not releasing his name at this time. He is currently at large.While they haven't released his name, Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson said the suspect was in the U.S. illegally.The Sheriff's Department believes that the suspect is somewhere in Stanislaus County."We're pretty sure this suspect is from this town; he may still be here," the Sheriff's Department said.Officials said Singh called in a traffic stop at Merced Street and Eucalyptus Avenue in Newman. Moments later, he called out “shots fired” over the radio. Multiple officers responded and found that Singh had been shot. He was taken to the hospital, where he later died.The suspect drove away from the scene in a gray, extended cab Dodge Ram pickup before responding officers arrived. The truck was found around 3:15 p.m. in the 26000 block of River Road, just outside of Newman, the Sheriff's Department said. The suspect was not in the area and remains at large.Detectives were serving a search warrant at a mobile home park, which is about 4.5 miles from the scene of the traffic stop, when they found the truck in a garage. Officials were led to the scene thanks to a tip.The truck was towed and will continue to be processed for evidence.The Sheriff’s Department has released photos of the suspect. They are asking the public to come forward with any information.The suspect purchased two 12 packs of beer along with a pack of cigarettes, according to the convenience store where his picture was captured on surveillance tape.The Sheriff's Department is leading the investigation. A Blue Alert has been issued in Stanislaus, Merced, San Joaquin, Tuolumne and Santa Clara counties.Anyone with information about the suspect or his whereabouts is urged to call the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department at 209-525-7202.Singh was a native of Fiji and has been employed by the Newman Police Department since July 2011.“Our Newman Police family is devastated by the loss of Ronil,” said Newman Police Chief Randy Richardson. “If anyone has any information regarding the identity of the suspect, please contact law enforcement immediately so we can get this cop-killer off the streets.”Stay with KCRA 3 for the latest.