Dennis RomeroChristopher Dorner is officially a man with a no-bail murder warrant over his head.
That after the Riverside County District Attorney's office today charged him with murder and attempted murder following his alleged fatal ambush of a Riverside cop and shootings involving that officer's partner and two LAPD cops tied by authorities to the suspect.
The office says that, if convicted, Dorner would be eligible for the death penalty because …
… he allegedly killed a peace officer and fired from a vehicle, both “special circumstance” allegations allow prosecutors to pursue a capital murder case.
The exact charges, according to a statement from the Riverside prosecutors' office, include:
… One count of murder with two special circumstance allegations of the murder of a peace officer and the discharge of a firearm from a vehicle. He also has been charged with three counts of attempted murder of a peace officer.
The D.A.'s office describes what authorities believe Dorner did early Thursday:
Riverside D.A. Paul Zellerbach and Riverside police Chief Sergio Diaz today.; Credit: Riverside County District Attorney
Dorner is charged with the Feb. 7, 2013, murder of Riverside police Officer Michael Crain, an 11-year-veteran of the department. Crain, a department training officer, was in a marked RPD patrol car with his trainee when Dorner fired a rifle from inside his vehicle, killing Crain and critically injuring the second officer. That officer's
name is not being released at this time.
Dorner is also charged with shooting at two Los Angeles police officers in Corona prior to the murder of the Riverside police officer. The two LAPD officers were in Corona to provide protection for someone Dorner has named in his so-called manifesto. One officer was grazed on the head and the second uninjured in that shooting.
Riverside police Chief Sergio Diaz:
We are confident that Dorner will be captured and that he will face judgment for his horrific and cowardly crimes.
[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]
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