A large search remained underway in Placer County on Monday for a 44-year-old man authorities say is armed and dangerous after a woman was found fatally shot inside an Iowa Hill-area home.
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as Derek Spencer, who authorities say is wanted on several felony charges. Investigators said the incident began Sunday after Spencer was accused of pointing a firearm at people in the county.
Deputies later located Spencer in the rural Iowa Hill area, south of Colfax. Authorities said he rammed a sheriff’s patrol vehicle before fleeing into the surrounding area.
The situation escalated when Spencer allegedly fired shots at law enforcement officers and helicopters involved in the search. No law enforcement officers were reported injured in the shooting incidents.
During the search, tactical teams cleared a home where Spencer had reportedly been earlier. Deputies then discovered an adult woman inside who had been shot and killed. Her identity has not been released as authorities work to notify her family.
Investigators believe Spencer was responsible for the woman’s death before fleeing into the forest, according to authorities. The allegation remains part of an active investigation.
The search has been complicated by the terrain around Iowa Hill, which includes large stretches of dense forest along with steep and rugged areas. Several law enforcement agencies have joined the operation, including teams from neighboring sheriff’s offices, the California Highway Patrol, California State Parks and police departments in the region.
Residents in and around Iowa Hill have been urged to lock their doors and remain inside while deputies continue looking for Spencer. Authorities have warned people not to approach him and to call 911 if they see him.
The manhunt is also taking place near a wildfire reported close to the Mineral Bar Campground along Iowa Hill Road. Fire crews from Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service staged in the area, but firefighting efforts were being held back because of the ongoing active-shooter situation nearby. Officials have not indicated that the fire is connected to the shooting or the suspect.
As of the latest available reports, Spencer had not been taken into custody and the search was continuing through the rugged Iowa Hill area.
