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Kevin Salazar, 32, has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the September 2023 ambush killing of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, who was shot in the head at a red light near the Palmdale station. A jury reached the guilty verdict Monday following a week-long trial, also convicting Salazar on special circumstance allegations including murder of a peace officer, lying in wait and firing from a vehicle.
On the evening of September 16, 2023, the 30-year-old Clinkunbroomer was sitting in his marked patrol vehicle at an intersection less than a block from the sheriff’s Palmdale station when another vehicle pulled alongside him. A man inside that vehicle fired a .22 revolver at Clinkunbroomer’s head before fleeing the scene. Clinkunbroomer was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Authorities apprehended Salazar at his family’s Palmdale home two days after the shooting, following a standoff that was partially captured on video. Despite the conviction, investigators have found no clear motive for the killing, according to Brad Gage, the attorney representing Clinkunbroomer’s family.
Jurors deliberated for two and a half hours before delivering their verdict, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Salazar has raised an insanity defense, and a sanity-determining phase is scheduled for Wednesday to establish whether he will serve a prison sentence or be confined to a state mental hospital.
Clinkunbroomer, who was engaged at the time of his death, came from a family with deep roots in law enforcement—his grandfather, father and brother all served in law enforcement careers. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman and Sheriff Robert Luna both issued statements praising the deputy’s dedication and sacrifice.
Following Clinkunbroomer’s death, his family filed a lawsuit against the county alleging that mandatory overtime and inadequate staffing had left the deputy fatigued and vulnerable to the ambush. The county was dismissed from the lawsuit based on workers’ compensation protections, and the family did not pursue civil action against Salazar.
In January 2026, Los Angeles County honored Clinkunbroomer by renaming a Department of Parks and Recreation sports complex in his memory.
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