California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles County Sheriff?s Department provide backup for Kern County Sheriff?s Department (not shown) at Rhine Court in Pine Mountain, near a location where gunshots were heard.
Sheriff’s Department Asks for Community’s Help
By Gary Meyer and Patric Hedlund
A report of gunshots in Pine Mountain brought a speedy response from several law enforcement agencies Tuesday morning, Nov. 13.
According to Kern County Sheriff Department’s Sgt. Bryan Armendariz, a call was received at 9:10 a.m. indicating that gunshots were heard near Antelope Way in Pine Mountain. By 9:20 a.m. Sheriff’s deputies and CHP units were already seen at the upper end of Cuddy Valley, speeding toward Pine Mountain.
"We arrived and were unable to find anything," Armendariz said.
While at the Antelope Way location, however, Sheriff’s deputies heard more gunshots. "It’s difficult to know in this valley exactly where the sound was coming from," Armendariz said, gesturing to the expansiveness of the valley which encompasses the Pine Mountain community.
"We estimated the shots to be approximately a quarter to a half mile west of our position at Antelope Way," he said.
The officers (including Kern County Sheriff, CHP and Los Angeles County Sheriff patrol cars) then relocated to Rhine Court near Bernina Drive to speak with residents.
The initial report, according to CHP officer R. Patrick, was that approximately five shots had been heard, apparently fired from a semiautomatic weapon.
Sgt. Armendariz reported that an additional eight shots were heard by the deputies from their position on Antelope Way. He also noted that shouting from a possible domestic dispute had been reported at the same time the first gunshots were heard.
This is part of the November 16, 2007 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.
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