Downtown Paso Robles was locked down Wednesday, after an early morning shooting outside the police station.
A sheriff's deputy was shot in the face by an unknown gunman who authorities say purposely targeted law enforcement.
A shelter-in-place order that was issued for the downtown area was lifted at 3 p.m., and Police Chief Ty Lewis said investigators were confident the shooter was no longer in the area, but police were asking the public to avoid downtown while they continued to process multiple crime scenes.
Police said there were at least five locations that were being processed.
At a separate location along the train tracks, a homeless man was found shot in the head and police said it appeared the homicide was connected to the shooting downtown.
Businesses in the downtown area were prevented from opening Wednesday during the investigation.
The One-Stop gas station in Paso Robles was open at the time and workers say they locked the doors as a precaution.
Cashier Mary Booker says something like this is rare for the city.
"This is something that does not happen here. So for this to happen here, it's kind of shocking really, but given the times we're living in, I'm really not shocked," Booker said.
Paso Robles resident Richard Sudden says today's events may mark a new reality for his hometown.
"We have to be ready for this in our modern-day, that if there is danger, be careful, because it could be in your own backyard, in your own hometown," Sudden said.
Authorities released photos of the suspected gunman Wednesday afternoon and are asking anyone with information to call the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office, Paso Robles Police Department, or Crime Stoppers at (805) 549-STOP.
