Investigators locate weapon near scene of deadly officer-involved shooting in Madera County

MADERA COUNTY (KFSN) -- Investigators have recovered a gun from near where a carjacking suspect was shot and killed in Madera County on Sunday.

A highway patrol officer shot the suspect after he refused orders to stop and headed toward a large crowd at an outdoor party.

The highway patrol and the Madera County Sheriff's Office are piecing together what happened Sunday afternoon. It started with a carjacking then ended three miles away with a foot chase and gunfire.

Investigators with survey equipment were mapping out the final route taken by the suspect before he was shot and killed by a highway patrol officer.

The suspect was walking toward a barn where a party with children was underway. Cell phone video shows the man approaching and a witness told Action News what happened.

"The officer told him, you know, stop," witness Jaime Gonzales said. "He told him I don't know how many times to stop. When he got closer to the crowd, that's when I heard the first gunshot."

It all started about three miles away at the intersection of Highway 41 and Avenue 15. It's reported the suspect brandished a gun and carjacked the vehicle.

A short time later the vehicle got into an accident at Highway 41 and Avenue 12. The suspect and two others in the car tried to run away, but witnesses caught two of the men. The third was spotted walking.

"A person matching the description and covered in dirt was identified by an off-duty Madera County Sheriff's Reserve Deputy and shortly thereafter a foot pursuit ensued," Tyson Pogue with the Madera County Sheriff's Office said.

The highway patrol tracked the suspect to the barn where the party was underway and shot him when he wouldn't stop. A search team has recovered a firearm and ammunition along the suspect's path of travel. The two others with the suspect were not arrested.

"Based on interviews with detectives they were detained and released at the scene," Pogue said.

The name of the man killed by the CHP officer won't be made public until his family is notified.