3 dead, 3 children injured in California shootings
PORTERVILLE, Calif. (AP) - A man suspected of fatally shooting three people and wounding three children, including his two daughters, died Sunday from his injuries in a police shootout, authorities said.
Hector Celaya, 31, died several hours after he was wounded during gunfire with Tulare County sheriff's deputies as he tried to flee in a vehicle. His death was confirmed by sheriff's Sgt. Chris Douglass, who did not release details.
Authorities apprehended him early Sunday, about six hours after deputies were called to a trailer on the Tule Indian Reservation on Saturday night. Inside, they found the bodies of a man and a woman; the body of another man was nearby.
Deputies also discovered a wounded young boy, whose condition and age were not known.
Officials said Celaya shot his two daughters, ages 5 and 8, who were found with him in the vehicle when he was apprehended. One girl suffered life-threatening injuries, while the other girl was less seriously hurt.
A motive for the attacks was not immediately known.
The boy who was wounded is believed to be about 7, said Shelby Charley Jr., an engineer and supervisor with the Tule River Reservation Fire Department.
"This is a once in a lifetime kind of deal," Charley said of the call. "It's one of those calls you could go your whole career and not walk into. This is one of those calls that will stick with you for the rest of your life."
The winding roads out of the reservation delayed medical help for the boy, Charley said. Thick fog in the area prevented a medical helicopter from responding, Charley said.
At the scene of the shooting, police tape stretched out across the driveway to three modular homes built on a hillside that appeared to be a family compound. The homes are in a remote area scattered with oak trees and rock outcroppings.
Two people approached on a dirt road leading to the homes acknowledged to the Associated Press that they were related to the suspect, but declined to comment.
Deputies found Celaya by tracking his cellphone, and pulled him over in a rural area outside the tiny community of Lindsay, about 20 miles from the reservation. Celaya opened fire, prompting deputies to return fire, Douglass said.
She did not say how many shots were fired, but said Celaya fired his gun "multiple times." Celaya was shot during the exchange of gunfire, Douglass said.
It was unclear when Celaya shot his daughters, Douglass said.
Police said Celaya was "known to law enforcement" and "known to use drugs," though Douglass could not provide details.
The reservation where the initial shooting took place is about 50 miles north of Bakersfield.
Hector Celaya, 31, died several hours after he was wounded during gunfire with Tulare County sheriff's deputies as he tried to flee in a vehicle. His death was confirmed by sheriff's Sgt. Chris Douglass, who did not release details.
Authorities apprehended him early Sunday, about six hours after deputies were called to a trailer on the Tule Indian Reservation on Saturday night. Inside, they found the bodies of a man and a woman; the body of another man was nearby.
Deputies also discovered a wounded young boy, whose condition and age were not known.
Officials said Celaya shot his two daughters, ages 5 and 8, who were found with him in the vehicle when he was apprehended. One girl suffered life-threatening injuries, while the other girl was less seriously hurt.
A motive for the attacks was not immediately known.
The boy who was wounded is believed to be about 7, said Shelby Charley Jr., an engineer and supervisor with the Tule River Reservation Fire Department.
"This is a once in a lifetime kind of deal," Charley said of the call. "It's one of those calls you could go your whole career and not walk into. This is one of those calls that will stick with you for the rest of your life."
The winding roads out of the reservation delayed medical help for the boy, Charley said. Thick fog in the area prevented a medical helicopter from responding, Charley said.
At the scene of the shooting, police tape stretched out across the driveway to three modular homes built on a hillside that appeared to be a family compound. The homes are in a remote area scattered with oak trees and rock outcroppings.
Two people approached on a dirt road leading to the homes acknowledged to the Associated Press that they were related to the suspect, but declined to comment.
Deputies found Celaya by tracking his cellphone, and pulled him over in a rural area outside the tiny community of Lindsay, about 20 miles from the reservation. Celaya opened fire, prompting deputies to return fire, Douglass said.
She did not say how many shots were fired, but said Celaya fired his gun "multiple times." Celaya was shot during the exchange of gunfire, Douglass said.
It was unclear when Celaya shot his daughters, Douglass said.
Police said Celaya was "known to law enforcement" and "known to use drugs," though Douglass could not provide details.
The reservation where the initial shooting took place is about 50 miles north of Bakersfield.
The only reason this is receiving press outside the local area is due to the push for gun control in the media.
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Many California tribal people have Spanish surnames from the Mission days.
IT WAS GUNS!!!!! THE GUNS DID IT!!!!! Oh wait.......if GUNS kill people, all of MINE are defective.......
Since this has been updated with the suspects name since this morning it appears the suspect is Hispanic, not Native American.Â
I blame Custer.
Not surprising that our media ignores that November was Native American Culture month yet does not hesitate to print articles about crime on the reservations. Doing so serves to promote the negative images about Native Americans while ignoring the many wonderful aspects of their many cultures.
 @raven I'm pretty sure this would be news even if the guy was White, Black, Hispanic or Asian or any combination thereof.  Something about killing your mother, uncles and shooting your own kids just makes it newsworthy.Â
@raven A news story is a news story. So you're saying that in November, the media should look the other way if there is anything happening involving a Native American that may be bad? Should the media also ignore any negative news story in February involving African Americans? Let's all just stick our heads in the sand and pretend that bad things just don't happen and everybody in the world are happy, healthy, and nice...
@what? The media gives alot of attention to Black Heritage month; Hispanic month (many of who are here illegally; and many others. The media perpetuates the negative image of Native Americans when others groups - including whites - experience the same problems.Â
 @raven "Hispanic month (many of who are here illegally"
Not the best way to protest stereotypes, Raven...
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"when others groups - including whites - experience the same problems."
And wouldn't not carrying the story of this crime make the news orgs guilty of shielding the rez from bad press?
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IS there a bias in reporting about new from reservations? Obviously. There needs to be a balance that does not yet exist. But simply removing reports of bad things that do happen is not the way to fix that problem. Perhaps the rez needs to make it's own good news - by making the GOOD things that are accomplished there more well known. Be your own best fan - let the world know what you are doing to help your people.
 @raven They promote the negative views themselves...drive onto a rez.
 @K00lGuy  @raven Ok, thats true. Many of us are prone to this kind of thing but many of us are very nice people. You know, you can choose any culture you want and say they promote negative views of themselves. Realistically this is a pointless "point" so to speak. Raven does have a bit of a point as the media is prone to certain viewpoints. They are not as "un-biased" as they would have you to believe.
 @SeattleJoe  @K00lGuy  @raven ANYONE who thinks our media is "unbiased" or doesn't have an agenda started smoking weed LONG before it was legalized.
@K00lGuy @raven Agreed.
 @raven Oh, boo-hoo.