A Los Angeles jury convicted Kevin Eduardo Cataneo Salazar of first-degree murder on Monday for the September 16, 2023, ambush killing of Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, who was shot while stopped at a red light near the Palmdale sheriff's station.
The verdict
Jurors deliberated for about two hours before finding Salazar, now 32, guilty of murder with special circumstances, including the murder of a peace officer, lying in wait, and firing a weapon from a vehicle, along with related weapons charges. Clinkunbroomer, 30, had gotten engaged just days before he was killed.
What comes next
Salazar had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, and jurors are scheduled to reconvene to determine whether he was legally sane at the time of the shooting. If found sane, he faces a sentence of life in prison; if found not sane, he would be committed to a state psychiatric institution instead. Court testimony described a documented history of mental health issues, and prosecutors told jurors Salazar had told undercover jailhouse informants that he had wanted to kill a police officer for years and had been preparing for the opportunity; IF Daily has not independently verified this alleged jailhouse statement beyond what was presented at trial. Clinkunbroomer's parents, Kim and Mike Clinkunbroomer, have said they plan legal action against the Sheriff's Department and are pushing for policy changes aimed at protecting other officers.
