Los Angeles County Sheriff Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, who was sitting in his patrol vehicle at a traffic light on Saturday afternoon, was killed in cold blood. Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon announced Wednesday that charges had been filed against Kevin Salazar, the alleged killer of his deputy. Gascon’s statement, his filing of charges, and his reaction to the tragic murder were all abysmal.
Watch Gascon’s Statement:
Hello everyone. We appreciate the men and women of the Sheriff’s Department for being present today. Thank you to the trial team for coming. For someone who has been a policeman for more than 30 years, this is a very personal issue.
Gascon, please, make this about you.
We’re here today to announce that charges have been filed in this case, which deeply concerns us all. Kevin Salazar faces charges of murder, along with three special circumstances allegations, in the killing of Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer.
We have claimed that a killing had been committed against a police officer.
Second, he waited for him in a special circumstance.
The third way is to discharge a firearm while driving a vehicle.
Gascon’s Special Directives, which were issued on December 7, 202020, included the removal of “special circumstances” for crimes against peace officers as well as gun enhancements. Gascon revised the language in February 2022 after receiving criticism from victims, law enforcement, and his colleagues.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon backed down from two of his most criticized directives on Friday. He noted in a series of memos that “there may be the rare occasions” when special circumstances allegations could be “necessary,” which may result in life imprisonment without parole for murder cases. And that juveniles can be transferred selectively to the adult courts system in “the most egregious of cases that warrant a state prison commitment.”
You’re right, one of the “rare” occasions has arrived. Gascon continues his statement:
Ryan, who was only 30 years old at the time of his death, was a veteran of eight years with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. He served Palmdale and Antelope valley. Sheriff Luna told reporters the other day, that Ryan is a star. Early in his career, he was appointed a training officer. This is an honorable position reserved for only the best. He was dedicated to a calling that carried with it responsibility and the promise of bringing our community together. But his life wasn’t just about the uniform that he wore, or the star that was proudly displayed on his chest. It was about his potential. He could have changed the lives of many people, prevented crimes, and made a difference in the lives of those who swore to keep him safe.
He was recently engaged to marry. He is a son, brother, colleague, friend, and member of the community. His sacrifice is a constant reminder of the dedication and courage that define our law enforcement community.
Gascon failed to mention that the sacrifice made by Deputy Clinkunbroomer was unnecessary and uncalled for. Gascon’s soft-on-crime policies and Special Directives are directly responsible for Deputy Clinkunbroomer’s murder. Gascon is not very good at self-reflection.
Any loss of life is tragic, but the tragedy is magnified when it is an officer who is sworn to protect us and has been taken away. This is an attack on our very community and civilization. This is a reminder of the dangers that our officers face while protecting and serving our communities.
Why does Gascon allow Los Angeles County, in the name of social justice, to be overrun by criminal activity? Todd Spitzer, the Orange County District attorney, took a sledgehammer to Gascon on Thursday. Spitzer used X to make his statement. And boy, did it leave a lasting impression.
Statement from Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer Regarding the Failure by Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon to Seek Justice for Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon does not care about the execution pic.twitter.com/Al7zCOJlDN
— OCDA Todd Spitzer (@OCDAToddSpitzer) September 21, 2023
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon doesn’t care about the murder of Sheriff’s Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer. He was killed while stopped at a traffic light in his uniform with his LA County Sheriff badge pinched over his heart. Gascon is more concerned about saving the life of the man who shot the deputy in the face and then sped off, leaving behind a newly-engaged lawman whose blood was gushing from the driver’s seat.
Anemic Gascon did not even mention these details which would have helped to understand why special circumstances were needed in such cases.
Gascon, who spoke at a press conference on Wednesday in the Hall of Justice about his own 30-year career as an officer of the police, said that he wanted to seek the maximum punishment allowed by law for the killer of Deputy Clinkunbroomer, namely Life Without the Possibility of Parole (LWOP). This was a lie. No matter how hard George Gascon or Governor Gavin Newsom try to deny it, the death penalty is still in California.
Spitzer calls Gascon out for lying when he says he will prosecute Kevin Salazar “to the fullest extent” of the law, but the “fullest degree,” if he is convicted, would only be a needle in the arm. Gascon and the California Governor want this act to be stopped.
California law does allow for the death penalty if a policeman is killed. Gascon, who does not believe the death penalty is justified, will not be executing Deputy Clinkunbroomer’s killer. He said it’s not a deterrent. Gascon already decided that the death of the deputy was not worth the time it would take to go through the special circumstance analysis, which is the process we follow when deciding whether or not to apply for LWOP.
Spitzer brings up Gascon’s own comments on the death sentence and calls Gascon out for his hypocrisy by bringing up the special circumstances, which he believes are also unnecessary.
Gascon, with Deputy Clinkunbroomer’s family, including two other law enforcement officers, behind him, explained callously that the death sentence would not bring back their son, brother, or fiance from the dead. What was the point of this? There is no law that allows the dead to reincarnate. They know Ryan will never return home.
Now, Deputy Clinkunbroomer’s family, and all law enforcement officers in Los Angeles, know the harsh truth that George Gascon – the man the people of Los Angeles County chose to protect the public safety – refuses to pursue justice for those men and women sworn to defend us. Deputy Clinkunbroomer’s execution is an unacceptable tragedy. Law enforcement officers all over the country grieve for yet another officer killed in the line of duties, but they must also cope with the fact that justice is not available in the Los Angeles County Hall of Justice as long as George Gascon remains the District Attorney.
Spitzer tagged Orange County, Los Angeles County, and Los Angeles County attorneys in the X-post, as well as Gavin Newsom, Governor Hair Gel probably isn’t interested in the book because it’s too busy berating red states for their books and blaming climate change on them.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and much of Los Angeles’ law enforcement are already in crisis. They cannot meet their recruitment targets and many officers have retired rather than risk their work or lives being neglected because of this radical D.A. Gascon’s slack statement and the limited charges against him for Deputy Clinkunbroomer’s murder only serve to reinforce that being a law enforcement officer in Gascon’s Los Angeles is not an honorable profession. Spitzer shines the light on it.
Are residents of Los Angeles County finally going to do something?
