CBS SF: Ben Lomond shooting suspect linked to killing of federal officer in Oakland
BEN LOMOND, Calif. (KION and CBSSF) The suspect in the deadly ambush of law enforcement officers in Santa Cruz County has been linked to the death of a federal officer in Oakland, according to a published report obtained by the CBS affiliate in the Bay Area.
According to KPIX, Steven Carrillo is believed to be involved in the fatal shooting of Federal Protective Services officer Dave Underwood at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building in Oakland. The shooting happened during a protest over the death of George Floyed turned to violence.
On Saturday, Carrillo was arrested in the aftermath of an "ambush" style attack that killed Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller and seriously injured another deputy. He allegedly opened fire and used explosives when they responded to a call about a suspicious vehicle containing guns and explosives.
Carrillo was active in the Air Force. He was a Staff Sergeant at the Travis Air Force Base and had completed the Air Force's elite "Raven" security training. Air Force officials told the CBS affiliate in the Bay Area that Carrillo was a "Phoenix Raven Team Leader."
After the shooting in Ben Lomond, the FBI began investigating possible links between the incident and the killing in Oakland. KPIX reports that the white van Carrillo drove as deputies followed him was of particular interest, and a photo of a white van believed to be connected to the Oakland incident was released Friday.
“Many of you have asked about this (the white van) in connection with the shooting of two federal protection officers in Oakland,” FBI San Francisco special agent in charge John Bennett said in a press conference earlier this week. “We are actively investigating the possibility of links between these cases. However, as this investigation is ongoing. I cannot provide or I will not provide details … on it.”
KION received a copy of the complaint against Steven Carrillo, and his charges include:
- Murder, with special allegations of murder of an on-duty peace officer, lying in wait and personal and intentional discharge of a gun
- Five counts of attempted murder of a peace officer with a special allegation of personal and intentional discharge of a gun
- Two counts of explosion with intent to murder
- Explosion of destructive device causing bodily injury
- Carjacking with a special allegation of personal use of a gun
- Assault on a firefighter
- Two counts of attempted carjacking with a special allegation of personal use of a gun
- Attempted willful, deliberate, premeditated murder with a special allegation of personal use of a gun
- Possession of a loaded, concealed gun while not being the registered owner
- Two counts of possession of ingredients to make a destructive device
- Two counts of possession of a destructive device and explosive to injure or destroy
If convicted, the murder charge with special allegations comes with a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole or death. Each count of murder could come with 15 years to life, explosion with intent to murder could mean life with parole and several other charges could mean a sentence of 20 or more years in prison.
Read the full criminal complaint against Steven Carrillo below.
