(Left) Kyle Snipes
Detectives have learned through their investigation who the man is that fled the scene and remains on the loose. He is 29-year-old Kyle Patrick Snipes. He is described as being white, 6’3”tall, 220 lbs. with blond hair, blue eyes and several visible tattoos. He was last seen wearing a black tank top, beige or blue shorts and may have a cut on his forehead. In addition to being wanted in connection with Thursday’s case, Mr. Snipes is also a parolee at large who is wanted on robbery charges and has an active warrant for narcotics violations. Mr. Snipes should be considered armed and dangerous and members of the public are urged not to approach him; instead call law enforcement immediately.
The initial investigation indicates Kyle Snipes and Gilbert Vanderburgh knew each other, but their exact relationship is unknown at this point.
Around 4:00 A.M. Thursday morning, members of the Fresno HEAT (Help Eliminate Auto Theft) Task Force located a stolen car in Fresno County. The team conducted a surveillance operation on the car and followed the suspect into Madera County. The driver (Kyle Snipes) discovered he was being followed and lead law enforcement officers to a home on the 49000 block of Road 210, near the community of Fine Gold.
Snipes got out of the car and ran toward the house. HEAT members surrounded the home and identified themselves as law enforcement. Officers and deputies exchanged dialogue with a resident inside the home (Gilbert Vanderburgh) for approximately one hour and he refused to surrender. Mr. Vanderburgh then pointed a rifle out a window of the home in the direction of officers. A Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputy who is on the HEAT Task Force fired two shots with his rifle at the gunman, which struck and killed him. The Madera County Sheriff’s SWAT team searched the house and found it to be empty. They did recover the rifle Mr. Vanderburgh pointed at officers.
A woman who was inside the stolen vehicle was taken into custody for questioning, but was not arrested.
The Madera County Sheriff’s Office is the lead agency investigating the OIS. The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office is also conducting its own independent investigation.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Kyle Snipes is asked to please contact the Madera County Sheriff's Office at (559) 675-7770 or call Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-STOP (7867).
For more information: Madera County Sheriff’s Office Investigating Deadly Officer Involved Shooting
Source: Madera County Sheriff Department