A manhunt is still underway for the illegal immigrant who shot and killed a 33-year-old California police officer the day after Christmas.
The suspect is still at large and is believed to be around “100 miles southeast of San Francisco area and is armed and dangerous,” ABC 13 News reported.
Police Cpl. Ronil “Ron” Singh’s life ended abruptly Wednesday around 1 a.m. when he pulled over a driver that he suspected was intoxicated in Newman, 80 miles southeast of Sacramento.
Police have identified the killer but have not yet released his name, Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson said Thursday.
“This suspect is in our country illegally. He doesn’t belong here. He is a criminal,” Christianson said. “The sheriff’s office will spare no expense in hunting down this criminal.”
Cpl. Singh told dispatch the vehicle he was pulling over was a “Dodge Ram, silver in color with paper plates from AR Auto, a dealership in Merced,” according to the Sacramento Bee.
Stanislaus and Merced counties responded to Singh’s call to dispatch for shots fired.
By the time police arrived on the scene, Singh was lying in a pool of blood and the suspect had fled. Singh was taken to the hospital but did not survive his injuries.
With a statewide manhunt underway, police were able to release video of the suspect at a local store, who is said to be “a heavy-set Hispanic man with black hair.”
The suspect was wearing “a silver chain, jeans, dark T-shirt and a dark jacket with white Ecko brand patches on the shoulders.”
The suspect’s vehicle was recovered on Wednesday in a mobile home park in Newman, but the suspect was not apprehended, ABC 7 News reported.
The @turlockpolice issues statement on fallen Newman Police Department officer Ronil Singh. He was a cadet the department a decade ago. https://t.co/HIv0ud5Ll5
— The Modesto Bee (@modbee) December 26, 2018
Numerous tips have been given to the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department regarding the suspect.
Singh moved from Fiji to the U.S. to join the police force in the small town of Newman, which only has 12 officers.
Newman Police Chief Randy Richardson said Singh was an “American patriot.”
“He came to America with one purpose, and that was to serve this country,” Richardson said.
Singh was married to his wife, Anamika, and the father of a new baby boy.
Singh’s canine partner, Sam, has been relieved of his duty to make a home with Singh’s family.
President Donald Trump tweeted, “There is right now a full-scale manhunt going on in California for an illegal immigrant accused of shooting and killing a police officer during a traffic stop. Time to get tough on Border Security. Build the Wall!”
There is right now a full scale manhunt going on in California for an illegal immigrant accused of shooting and killing a police officer during a traffic stop. Time to get tough on Border Security. Build the Wall!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 27, 2018
Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Deputy Royjinder Singh, who is not related to the victim, said, “He was living the American dream. He loved camping, loved hunting, loved fishing, loved his family.”
A memorial fund has been set up for Cpl. Singh’s family.
