Modoc County Sheriff's Deputy killed in the line of duty

Alturas, Cal. – A Modoc County Sheriff’s Deputy is killed in the line of duty – and a suspect is in custody.

The shooting happened at around 10:30 Wednesday morning on a remote county road about 10 miles south of Alturas, California. The Modoc County Sheriff’s Office has identified the deputy killed as 31-year-old Jack Hopkins.

According to the sheriff’s office, Deputy Hopkins was responding to a family disturbance call. When he arrived at the location, he was confronted by the main suspect. A preliminary investigation shows Deputy Hopkins was fatally shot by the suspect, who fled the scene in his vehicle.

MCSO said the vehicle was eventually intercepted by another Sheriff Mike Poindexter, who was responding to the same call. The suspect shot at Sheriff Poindexter, and gunfire was exchanged. The suspect was wounded and taken into custody. Sheriff Poindexter sustained minor injuries during the encounter.

The suspect was identified as 47-year-old Alturas resident Jack Lee Breiner. He was taken to a hospital in Redding, California where he is expected to recover. MCS

According to MCSO, Deputy Hopkins was hired in 2015 after previously working for the Alturas Police Department. He is survived by his large family and his dog, Bandit. Hopkins was raised in Montague, California.

Sheriff Poindexter said, “The Modoc County Sheriff’s Office and the entire law enforcement community of our region and state grieves the irrevocable loss of Deputy Hopkins. I am grateful for the extraordinary allied-agency assistance we have received and we are thankful for the countless expressions of support we have received in the aftermath of Jack’s tragic death. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Deputy Hopkins, his family, his co-workers, his many friends, and to all those impacted by this tragic and senseless loss of a dedicated law enforcement professional and friend.”

(This article has been updated from a previous version in order to provide more detailed information.)