Police search for a suspect after the death of a California officer at a roadside check

SAN FRANCISCO – Authorities launched a manhunt Wednesday after an armed man shot and killed a police officer A roadside check in a small California town.

] In an alert, the California Highway Patrol said that the suspect, whose name was not known, was considered armed and dangerous.

Newman police officer, Ronil Singh, aged 33, had called Wednesday morning in the traffic stop and reported that gunshots had been fired at his radio, the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department said. in a statement.

Several organizations responded and found Singh shot and wounded. They drove the husband and father of an infant to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Land and air units searched for the suspect based on surveillance photos taken at a convenience store shortly before the attack.

He was suspected of driving a gray Dodge Ram pickup truck when the shooting took place in Newman, about 100 km southeast of San Francisco.

"We sent information to state law enforcement, as well as from outside of California, "said Sgt. Tom Letras said, the sheriff's spokesman.

In the photos, the suspicious suspect, with short black hair, wears a thick chain necklace. jeans, a dark hoodie and a dark t-shirt.

A native of Fiji, Singh had been working since July 2011 for the police department in Newman, a town of about 10,000 inhabitants. Earlier in his career, Singh had worked as a deputy in the Merced County Sheriff's Department.

On his Facebook page, Singh published photos on Christmas Eve of an ocean fishing trip that produced a large amount of crabs and fish. The profile picture shows him smiling in front of a patrol car with a dog – the same picture of the officer issued by the sheriff's department

He is survived by his wife Anamika and a 5-month-old son, Les authorities said.

Outgoing California governor Jerry Brown offered his condolences to Singh's family and said the Capitol Flags were flying half-staff in his honor.

"Our heart is with the entire community of Newman and law enforcement officers across the state who risk their lives every day to protect and serve the people of California," said Brown.