Motive Still Unknown After Valinda Shooting, Barricade

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

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11:16 a.m.: The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner identified the suspect as 45-year-old Brandon Matthew Ursa.

VALINDA - Authorities helped to repopulate 10 families that spent three days away from their homes during a marathon operation to get a barricaded gunman to surrender.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department provided some details into the efforts to get the gunman to surrender during a nighttime press conference outside the Sheriff’s Industry Station March 12.

Around 2 p.m., Sunday, March 13, the suspect was located deceased after apparently taking his own life, according to Chief Jorge Valdez of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s East Patrol Division.

Crisis negotiators remained in contact with the suspect throughout most of the barricade operation, and he apparently gave no motive as to why he decided to randomly shoot at pedestrians in the neighborhood, according to Lt. Kevin Ma of the Sheriff’s Operation Safe Streets Bureau.

When asked why the operation lasted more than 48 hours, Tom Giandomenico, commander of the Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau, emphasized that de-escalation, risk management and the threat the suspect posed to the community required deputies to slow their operation.

No deputies reportedly returned fire when the gunman started shooting at them, Giandomenico said.

The suspect possibly fired more than 100 rounds from what was described as a “high-powered rifle” at deputies and citizens in the area, Valdez said.

Deputies injected pepper spray into the home in an effort to disrupt his ability to shoot straight and to theoretically force the suspect to surrender.

The Los Angeles Police Department deployed its SWAT team, which used its BatCat, a specialized forklift to open gaping holes in the roof and front of the home to insert cameras.

Once cameras were inserted, the suspect was found dead, Giandomenico said.

On March 10, Industry Station deputies were called around 2:19 p.m. to the home on an assault with a deadly weapon call of a shooter firing upon pedestrians in the 16900 block of Wing Lane. Deputies were fired upon as well and worked to evacuate 10 families near the scene.

The suspect randomly fired off round within the home while keeping deputies at bay.