NEWMAN, Calif. — Law enforcement officials have identified a suspect in the Dec. 26 fatal shooting of a Newman Police officer, Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson told a room full of reporters Thursday morning.
Christianson did not provide a name, but said the suspect is in this country illegally.
“He doesn’t belong here,” he said. “He is a criminal. We will find him. We will arrest him and we will bring him to justice.”
Investigators believe the suspect is still in Stanislaus County.
“We are actively pursuing every investigative lead,” he said. “We have spared no expense. We have multiple teams out following up on every lead and we will relentlessly continue to hunt our suspect down and bring him to justice.”
According to the Newman Police Department, Cpl. Ronil Singh, 33, stopped a vehicle at Merced Street and Eucalyptus Avenue in Newman just before 1 a.m. Wednesday on suspicion that the driver was driving under the influence of alcohol.
A few moments later Singh called out “shots fired” over the radio, prompting multiple agencies to respond.
Singh was found at the scene with several gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The suspect fled the scene in his vehicle, described as a gray, extended cab Dodge Ram pickup.
Working on a tip, detectives served a search warrant on the 26000 block of River Road just outside of Newman at about 3:10 p.m., where they found the truck. Detectives are processing it for evidence.
Christianson said that Singh fired several shots in an attempt to defend himself.
It was Newman Police Department’s first line-of-duty death.
Singh was a native of Fiji and had been employed by Newman Police Department since July 2011.
In a tear-filled speech, Newman Police Chief Randy Richardson said that Singh came to the U.S. from his native Fiji specifically to become a police officer.
“That’s all he wanted to do,” Richardson said. “He truly loved what he did. You never saw a man smile more than him.”
Singh left behind a wife and a 5-month-old son, Richardson said.
“He loved being a police officer, he loved being a husband, he loved being a father,” he said.
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Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Michael Fisher at (209) 525-7083 or dispatch at (209) 552-2468. Tipsters can also email tips at www.modestopolice.com/CrimeStoppers.
