The guns used by Mason James Lira during a two-day shooting spree in Paso Robles last week were likely stolen from an attorney’s office in San Luis Obispo.
San Luis Obispo Police Department detectives believe Lira, 26, broke into a private local attorney’s office in the 900 block of Osos Street between 5:30 p.m. June 8 and 6:30 a.m. June 9.
Lira shot two sheriff’s deputies, a CHP officer and an Arroyo Grande police officer during a nearly two-day manhunt June 10 and 11 in Paso Robles. All of the wounded officers lived. He is also suspected of shooting and killing James Harding Watson, 58, near the Amtrak train station in Paso Robles.
Lira fired upon the Paso Robles Police Department station on 10th Street in Downtown Paso Robles shortly after 3 a.m. June 10. Lira was shot and killed during a stand-off by law enforcement on the south end of Paso Robles near the Highway 46 West and Highway 101 interchange on June 11.
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson said during a press conference on June 11 that they believed the guns found next to Lira’s body were stolen.
At approximately 12:52 p.m on June 9, SLO police officers responded to the 900 block of Osos Street for a commercial burglary report. Officers contacted the victim who advised someone entered the business through an unlocked window to the rear of the location.
The victim stated the items taken were miscellaneous clothing, jewelry, duffle bag, two firearms, and an unknown amount of ammunition. The guns stolen were a .38 caliber revolver and a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun.
Investigators from the San Luis Obispo Police Department conducted follow up and obtained video surveillance of the suspect walking behind the location. Based on the video, investigators recalled an incident that took place on June 8 at approximately 4:27 p.m., which could have been related.
In that incident, detectives learned Lira threatened to shoot a bus driver in the head while exiting the bus.
This is an ongoing investigation and investigators with the San Luis Obispo Police Department are working with investigators at the SLO County Sheriff’s Department to determine if the guns stolen from the City of San Luis Obispo were the same guns used in the shooting in Paso Robles.
Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact SLPD at 805-594-8037. Anonymous information can be referred to Crime Stopper at 805-549-STOP.
