Suspect killed by San Luis Obispo County deputy was alleged member of a white supremacist gang

TEMPLETON, Calif. (KION and KEYT)

UPDATE 9/24/2020 5 p.m. A deputy was injured and a suspect was killed in a shooting Thursday morning in Templeton.

The incident started at around 10:20 a.m. when the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office said one of its deputies saw a vehicle on the side of a road. He found that the vehicle was unoccupied, and when he continued to drive, the Sheriff's Office said he found a man who was wanted on a felony warrant.

The Sheriff said the deputy tried to stop the man, but he ran to a cemetery nearby and hid. Another deputy arrived, and the suspect allegedly ambushed them. One deputy was injured and they called for backup as the suspect left the cemetery.

Two more deputies responded to the scene. Sheriff Ian Parkinson said they engaged him. The suspect was shot during what Parkinson described as a "gun battle."

The injured deputy was taken to a hospital where he is in stable condition and will have surgery. The suspect died of his injuries.

Investigators said he had a felony warrant out for his arrest and multiple gun convictions but was also an alleged member of a white supremacist gang that the Sheriff's Office was investigating. His identity has not been released.

PREVIOUS STORY: The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office says one of its deputies was injured during an officer-involved shooting Thursday morning.

The incident happened in Templeton, and investigators warn that it is an active scene. The Sheriff's Office tells KION sister station in the area, KEYT, that a suspect and deputy exchanged fire.

The deputy has been taken to a hospital for treatment, and the suspect is dead. The extent of the deputy's injuries is unclear.