UPDATE – PASO ROBLES – According to reports from family and their respective agencies, all four officers shot during the nearly two-day search in Paso Robles last week are expected to recover.
A San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department Deputy, a California Highway Patrol officer, a Kings County Sheriff’s Department Deputy and an Arroyo Grande Police Department officer were wounded during the shooting spree of Mason James Lira, 26, of Monterey on Wednesday and Thursday.
Two of the wounded officers were shot by Lira during the final exchange of gunfire Thursday afternoon near the Salinas riverbed south of the Highway 101 and Highway 46 West interchange. Lira was shot and killed by law enforcement as he attempted to evade capture.
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Nicholas Dreyfus was shot in the face by Mason Lira, 26, of Monterey, early Wednesday morning as the active-shooter situation began in Downtown Paso Robles.
Dreyfus was treated at a trauma center outside of the area, and according to an update Saturday, June 13, from his wife, Tyler, he is in critical but stable condition.
Sgt. Michael Smiley
Arroyo Grande Police Department Sgt. Michael Smiley was shot in the leg by Lira on Thursday in the area of Ramada Drive and Volpi Ysabel Road on the south end of Paso Robles.
Sgt. Smiley was a member of the San Luis Obispo Regional SWAT Team, assisting the San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Office with the search for Lira.
Lira shot CHP Officer Isaac Clocherty (no photo available) in his bulletproof vest. He fell to the ground and that is when Kings County Deputy Blake Bursiaga reportedly left a position of cover and risked his life to pull Clocherty to safety. Deputy Bursiaga was shot in the leg by Lira during the return to cover.
According to the CHP, Clocherty is a 12-year veteran of the department that was assigned to the King City CHP office. He sustained minor injuries and returned to full duty.
According to the Kings County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Bursiaga returned to duty this week.
“We are beyond thankful his injuries were not severe,” Kings County Sheriff’s Office stated. “We could not be more proud of him and the team of our deputy sheriff’s who each risked their lives to stop the threat that had terrorized the City of Paso.”
Deputy Bursiaga is a 7-year veteran with the Kings County Sheriff’s Office and has served on the SWAT team for approximately one year.
CHP Officer Tim Maxwell, (no photo available) a 21-year veteran of the department, was assigned to the King City CHP office, sustained minor injuries during the active shooter incident and is recovering at home.
