Placer County authorities search for armed suspect in deadly shooting
By Brandon Downs
Authorities in Placer County say they are searching for a suspect they believe shot and killed a woman before taking off and ramming into a patrol vehicle.
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office said authorities are searching the area of Iowa Hill Road, south of Colfax, for a suspect they say is armed and dangerous.
Deputies identified the suspect as 44-year-old Derek Spencer, who is from the greater Sacramento area. They said he is wanted for several felonies, including pointing a firearm at victims in Placer County earlier in the day.
While searching for Spencer, deputies said he rammed a stolen vehicle from El Dorado County into a sheriff’s deputy’s patrol car and took off.
Deputies said after Spencer rammed into the patrol vehicle, he is suspected of shooting and killing a woman inside a home. He then ran from the home and at some point he fired shots at law enforcement and at law enforcement helicopters, the sheriff’s office said.
As of 9 p.m., deputies are still searching for Spencer. They said the search area is very large, with dense forest and steep and rugged terrain.
The Foresthill Fire Protection District said at about 5 p.m. that Cal Fire and U.S. Forest Service units were staging at Mineral Bar Campground for a forest fire. The department said the fire was closer to Iowa Hill and that no fire suppression efforts are underway due to how close it is “to a serious active shooter incident.”
The fire district added that Placer County deputies are searching for a suspect who was involved in a possible carjacking Saturday in El Dorado County.
PlacerAlert, the county’s emergency communication system, issued an evacuation warning for a fire in the area. That remains in effect as of 9:30 p.m.
Cal Fire said the fire is about two acres within timber understory. A firefight still has been held off due to the suspect at large, but crews remain staged.
The fire is being monitored by aircraft at high elevations.
People in the Iowa Hill Road area were urged to lock their doors and remain inside.
The sheriff’s office said no law enforcement was injured.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
