On July 28th, 2015 at about 3:30 pm Kern County Sheriff’s deputies were in the area of the 10000 block of Hamilton Rd., about ten miles northwest of the city of Rosamond, attempting to locate a suspect with an outstanding felony warrant.
While searching for the suspect deputies developed information the suspect was possibly inside a trailer on Hamilton Rd. Several deputies approached the trailer on foot and began establishing a perimeter around the trailer. As they did the suspect, 33 year old Luis Macias, broke a window from inside the trailer and brandished a handgun through the window at deputies.
Macias then opened a door to the trailer and again brandished the handgun, firing one round at the deputies who were taking cover. Two deputies returned fire, firing several rounds at Macias. Macias then retreated into the trailer.
Deputies surrounded the trailer and established a perimeter. Deputies began attempting to verbally contact Macias but he was unresponsive. A SWAT callout was initiated and SWAT team members responded to the area, which is about a one and a half hour drive from Bakersfield. As SWAT team members were arriving on scene deputies were able to make contact with Macias and convince him to surrender. He was then taken into custody without further incident. A firearm was located in the trailer after Macias was arrested.
Macias was struck at least once by deputy’s gunfire. He was transported by ambulance to an area hospital with major injuries. His injuries do not appear life threatening. It was later determined the handgun recovered from inside the trailer had been reported stolen to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Detectives responded and have initiated an investigation into the shooting incident. The two deputies who fired at Macias, 8 year veteran Deputy John Coleman and 7 year veteran Deputy Chris Escobedo, have been placed on routine administrative leave pending a review of the shooting incident.
Macias was arrested for three counts of attempt murder, three counts of assault with a firearm on a peace officer, exhibiting a firearm at an officer, resisting arrest, and the felony warrant. He will be booked into the Sheriff’s Office Central Receiving facility upon his release from the hospital.
