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A deputy in Los Angeles County was fatally shot in an apparent ambush while on duty in Palmdale.

While in uniform and sitting inside his patrol car, Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroome was unexpectedly targeted and shot on Saturday evening. Around 6 p.m., a bystander found Clinkunbroomer critically injured at the steering wheel of his cruiser and immediately sought aid. Despite being promptly hospitalized, the eight-year veteran of the force did not survive his injuries. At a subsequent press briefing, Sheriff Robert Luna described the grievous act as “murder” and a “targeted attack,” emphasizing that Clinkunbroomer was attacked simply for “serving his community.”

Elaborating on the deputy, Luna shared that Clinkunbroomer wasn’t just a dedicated officer but also hailed from a lineage of law enforcement professionals. He was the third in his family to serve, following his father and grandfather. He recently took another significant step in his personal life by getting engaged. Sheriff Luna’s voice was emotional as he expressed the depth of the department’s grief, saying, “It hurts, it hurts bad.” He added, “From everything I know about Ryan, people loved and adored him.” Luna also appealed to the public, urging anyone with potentially relevant footage of the incident to step forward.

According to the National Fraternal Order of Police, ambush-style attacks on officers are not isolated. Just this year alone, the United States has already witnessed 83 such incidents, resulting in 15 officers losing their lives.