The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office has released pictures of the suspected gunman in the attack on the police station. The police have been searching for him for hours already, but still cannot trace the criminal.
The shooter opened fire at around 3.45 am local time on a police station in downtown Paso Robles. The deputy who responded to the shooting was shot in the head and brought to safety, according to San Luis Obispo County Ian Parkinson. He is now in a serious but stable condition, he added.
The man is considered armed and dangerous, so residents near the Paso Robles downtown area have been asked to shelter in place while he is still at large.
The shooting came amid the ongoing protests against police brutality that have rocked the United States following the death of black Minneapolis resident George Floyd. Protests have often turned into riots, including vandalism and clashes with police.
On Saturday, another shooting took place in California's Santa Cruz, leaving a sheriff's deputy dead and two other officers injured. According to Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart, the suspect, allegedly an Air Force sergeant, intended to kill officers specifically.