Video: Christopher Dorner, ex-L.A. cop, presumed dead after fiery cabin standoff
Update:Ex-L.A. cop Christopher Dorner has been the subject of a massive manhunt for more than a week after allegedly killing three , including former Denver resident Keith Lawrence; see previous coverage below. Now, the crisis appears at an end, with charred remains found in a gutted California cabin presumed to be Dorner, whose final rampage all but overshadowed the State of the Union address. Details, photos and video below.
Pics, video below.
As we noted in our earlier post, the search for Dorner has been concentrated in the California resort community of Big Bear. Plenty of dead ends marked the past several days, but at just past noon Pacific Time yesterday, law enforcers learned they were indeed on the right track.
As reported by ABC, a maid in the area dialed 911 and informed the dispatcher that she and a fellow staffer at a Big Bear resort had been held hostage in a cabin by a man she ID'd as Dorner.
Surveillance footage of Christopher Dorner.
The maid managed to get away, but by the time she did, Dorner had stolen a purple Nissan and taken off. The car was soon spotted by members of the San Bernardino Sheriff's Office, as well as staffers with the state's Fish and Game department. A shootout followed, but Dorner survived the gunfire and commandeered another vehicle -- a white pickup truck owned by Rick Heltebrake, who said Dorner, clad in camo and packing a rifle, told him, "I don't want to hurt you. Just get out and start walking up the road and take your dog with you."
Presumably, Heltebrake wasn't on Dorner's reported hit list of people he blamed for his sacking from the LAPD several years ago. But he pulled the trigger on a pair of deputies who spotted him shortly thereafter, with one seriously injured in the volley and the other dying as a result of his wounds, bringing the number of people he's suspected of murdering to four.
An earlier photo of Dorner.
At that point, Dorner holed up in a cabin and an extended standoff began. Then, around 2 p.m., the cabin caught fire -- we still don't know how the blaze started -- and after the structure more or less burned to the ground, authorities cautiously moved in. During their search of the premises, they discovered human remains.
We understand that forensic tests are underway at this hour to determine if the body was that of Dorner. If it is, his psychotic assaults are at an end -- something we hope will provide some small comfort to Lawrence's family, several of whom continue to live in the Denver area.
The cabin ablaze.
Look below to see ABC account of yesterday's events, followed by our earlier item, which includes Dorner's complete manifesto.
Continue to see our previous coverage, including video and Christopher Dorner's complete manifesto.
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