LOS ANGELES _ A gunman opened fire at the Lancaster station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, leaving one deputy wounded.
Someone fired into the station's helipad area and hit a deputy in the shoulder, authorities said. The deputy was taken to a hospital for what appears to be a non-life-threatening "graze wound" to the shoulder.
"My deputy is in stable condition at a local hospital. He was hit by one round in the shoulder," Sheriff Alex Villanueva said. "We have set up containment on a nearby building and we are going through all our tactical steps right now."
Villanueva said deputies have the area entirely blocked off and they believe the shooter is contained. The sheriff said the shot came from a considerable distance. It was unclear how many shots were fired.
Officials believe the suspect is inside a four-story structure. Deputies have been using binoculars to scan the building for a possible sniper, and officers are positioned nearby waiting for the SWAT team. Tactical units have been deployed to Lancaster with armored vehicles on the 14 Freeway.
Because of concern for sniper fire, deputies have been told to approach the area only from the west. Deputies are clearing nearby buildings, including a library and an apartment complex.
A Sheriff's Department source said the gunman fired a high-velocity rifle round that hit the deputy.
The deputy made a radio call from the helipad about 2:53 p.m. and said there were two shots fired from north of the helipad from the apartment building nearby, according to preliminary information provided by authorities. The deputy was able to scramble back to the station and get medical help.
Lancaster Mayor Rex Parris said that the deputy's bulletproof vest saved his life but that the bullet deflected into his shoulder.
"He is walking out of the sheriff's station, and a sniper took a shot at him," Parris said. "It is incomprehensible in our city."
The public has been told to avoid the area.
