The Arroyo Grande Police Department announced the name of their officer who was injured during a shootout in Paso Robles Thursday.
Sergeant Michael Smiley was helping search for 26-year-old Mason James Lira who was considered arm and dangerous after reportedly shooting at the Paso Robles Police Department, killing a man at the Amtrack station and injuring a San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Deputy on Wednesday.
Lira was believed to be hiding in the Salinas riverbed Thursday. When officers began to move in for a planned search, that is when Lira began firing at them, shooting Sergeant Smiley in the calf.
Sergeant Smiley is a 16 year veteran of the department and 8 year veteran of the San Luis Obispo Regional SWAT Team. He is at home recovering with his family.
During the shootout two other officers were injured and taken to the hospital. The King County Sheriff's Office confirmed on their Facebook Page that their Deputy Blake Bursiaga was one of the officers injured. The third officer injured was with the California Highway Patrol, however they have yet to release their name.
According to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office, all three officers are being treated and suffered non-life threatening injuries.
