California deputy shot twice in the head, suspect arrested

(AP) — A man suspected of shooting a sheriff's deputy twice in the head in Central California was arrested hours after the killing on Sunday when he tried to steal a woman's purse, authorities said.

Stanislaus County Sheriff's Deputy Dennis Wallace was shot at point-blank range as he checked on a report of a suspicious van parked near a fishing access spot outside the city of Hughson, about 10 miles southeast of Modesto, county Sheriff Adam Christianson said.

The Lindsay police officers didn't recognize Machado as the suspect in Wallace's killing until after he was taken into custody, when they identified him through tattoos and a photograph issued by Stanislaus County.

Hundreds of people, including law enforcement officers, gathered at the park near where Wallace was shot by nightfall to mourn his death.

The slaying comes after a deputy in Modoc County was killed while responding to a call about a disturbance, two Palm Springs police officers were shot to death during a domestic disturbance call, and a Los Angeles County sheriff's sergeant was shot and killed in the high-desert town of Lancaster while answering a burglary call.