Sad News In California

From the Ukiah News: A crime spree that began in Eugene, Ore. ended north of Fort Bragg Wednesday when Mendocino County Sheriff's Office Deputy Ricky Del Fiorentino, 48, came face-to-face with an armed suspect who shot and killed him, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.
"I wish you weren't here, and I wish I wasn't here," a tearful Sheriff Tom Allman said at a 5 p.m. press conference in Fort Bragg.Suspect Richard Antonio Cheney, 32, stole a vehicle in Eugene, Ore., in the early morning hours of March 19, forcing the two owners into the trunk and driving south, Allman said. A be-on-the-lookout alert was issued throughout California for Cheney, who was reportedly driving a 2006 black four-door BMW 330.At 10:34 a.m., the MCSO received a 9-1-1 call from a business owner at Confusion Hill in northern Mendocino County who had confronted Cheney when he saw him urinating outside his store. The men argued, Cheney reportedly got a rifle from his car, fired twice at the business owner and likely was not hit when the business owner fired back twice with his handgun, Allman said. Another BOLO was issued for Cheney, who was suspected of armed robbery and attempted kidnapping."The two people in the trunk did manage to get away, and I do not know the details of how they got away," Allman said....
At 11:51 a.m., MCSO Deputy Del Fiorentino turned onto Park Drive about 3.5 miles north of Fort Bragg, and came face to face with the BMW and Cheney.
When authorities arrived, "Deputy Del Fiorentino's car was riddled with rifle (fire), and Deputy Del Fiorentino was deceased in the driver's seat of the patrol car," Allman said.The hood had been sprayed with bullets, and the front and back windows of the patrol car were broken, according to Allman. It is unknown how many times the deputy was shot.Lt. John Naulty of the FBPD heard gunfire and came around the corner to find Cheney rifling through the deputy's car and taking Del Fiorentino's sidearm from his holster, Allman said.Cheney reportedly fired six or seven rounds at Naulty, who returned fire, according to Allman. The lieutenant and the suspect exchanged 10 to 15 rounds, he said, and the suspect escaped into the brush.  http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/news/ci_25380233/update-fort-bragg-deputy-shooting-suspect-stolen-car
RIP to the officer and prayers for his family, friends and department.