Suspect dead after officer-involved shooting in Ehrenberg

A Yucca Valley man with multiple outstanding felony warrants was shot dead by cops in Ehrenberg Thursday.

Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers and a La Paz County deputy shot and killed Christian Albarran, 26, in Ehrenberg on Thursday afternoon.

The incident began earlier in the day, when San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies spotted Albarran driving near Dumosa Avenue and Yucca Trail in Yucca Valley, a block from CA-62, just before 11 a.m., according to media reports.

The deputies had been familiar with Albarran and knew he was wanted by authorities for corporal punishment, spousal abuse and credit card fraud. They had also been alerted by a concerned citizen that Albarran had a firearm, according to the reports. He would not have been eligible for bail.

The deputies tried to pull Albarran over and he allegedly sped away westbound, leading deputies on a chase through Yucca Valley, into Morongo Valley, into Desert Hot Springs and then onto eastbound I-10.

California Highway Patrol took over the chase at the Bob Hope Drive exit and deputies backed off. They noticed that his vehicle, a 2006 Ford Focus, was registered to an address in Quartzsite, AZ, where they believed him to be headed.

CHP officers alerted the Arizona Department of Public Safety that Albarran was headed in the direction of the Arizona border. They reportedly added that Albarran had a history of violent crimes and that they believed he was in possession of a firearm. CHP then reportedly backed off the chase.

DPS troopers spotted the vehicle on I-10 when it exited at Ehrenberg Road and stopped it, followed quickly by a La Paz County deputy in support.

A DPS official said that troopers tried negotiating with Albarran and repeated commands which he didn’t follow. DPS says that Albarran made “a rapid and furtive movement” and the troopers opened fire, joined by the Sheriff’s deputy. Albarran was shot and killed.

DPS is investigating the shooting. No law enforcement officers were hurt.