Officer Javier Bejar Reedley PD
EOW: March 1, 2010
Reedley Police Officer Javier Bejar
was taken off life support this morning and passed away at
approximately 5:30 a.m. Officer Bejar was the second
officer mortally wounded in the Minkler/Fresno County
incident that unfolded on February 25. The incident began
around 9:40 a.m. at a mobile home set on 20 acres in the
town of Minkler. Officers were assisting Cal Fire in
serving an arrest warrant connected to investigations into a
recent series of reported arsons and shooting incidents.
After attempting to make contact and ordering occupants out
of the residence with no response, officers broke down the
door. Upon entry the suspect opened fire, killing Fresno
County Sheriff’s Deputy Joel Wahlenmaier and wounding Deputy
Mark Harris. The suspect then barricaded himself inside the
home and continued shooting as additional officers arrived
to assist. Shortly after police set up a perimeter, Reedley
Police Officer Javier Bejar (28) was hit in a subsequent
exchange of gunfire.
The body of the suspect, Ricky Liles (51), was found at
approximately 5 p.m. inside the mobile home. A woman
believed to be Liles' wife had emerged from the home about
an hour earlier.
Before joining the Reedley Police Department, Officer Bejar
served in the U.S. Marines with tours in Iraq and Kuwait. He
is survived by his wife of two years.
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