Update 9:06 p.m.
The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department released several images of the shooting suspect, saying, "We can confirm that these are photographs of the man who murdered Corporal Ronil Singh."
However, the department is not confirming that the name circulating on the Facebook page — where these images are from — is the correct name of the suspect.
The department told ABC10 that they have been unable to confirm the name of the man because several names and birth dates have come up for him during their investigation.
At this time the ABC10 newsroom knows that the man above is under investigation for the murder of Cpl. Ronil Singh. We can also confirm that the manhunt continues and he is still on the run, believed to be armed and dangerous.
We will update as soon as the name is released.
Update 5:49 p.m.
Detectives have searched a property in El Nido in Merced County. The suspect was not located at the property and the investigation is ongoing. No details have been provided in regards to the search warrant.
Update 4:15 p.m.
Authorities have obtained a search warrant for a property in Merced County, in connection to the deadly officer-involved shooting that took the life of Corporal Ronil Singh, according to the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department.
No suspect is in custody and the exact location of the property has not been released.
Original Story:
A gunman suspected of killing a Northern California police officer who pulled him over to investigate if he was driving drunk is in the country illegally, authorities said Thursday.
Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson said detectives identified the suspect in the slaying of Cpl. Ronil Singh of the small-town Newman Police Department but didn't release his name. The attacker is still on the loose, and he said authorities searching for a second day believe he's still in the area and is armed and dangerous.
"This suspect ... is in our country illegally. He doesn't belong here. He is a criminal," Christianson said at a news conference.
Authorities are looking for a man seen in surveillance photos at a convenience store shortly before Singh was killed Wednesday. Officials pleaded for help from the public and said they were following up on several leads.
"The sheriff's office will spare no expense in hunting down this criminal," said Christianson, whose department is leading the investigation.
Christianson said Singh, a 33-year-old native of Fiji with an infant son, stopped the attacker as part of a DUI investigation and that the officer fired back to try to defend himself.
Singh was shot a few minutes after radioing that he was pulling over a gray pickup truck that had no license plate in Newman, a town of about 10,000 people some 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of San Francisco. Singh died at a hospital.
A ground and air search began for the heavyset man pictured at the store with short, dark hair and wearing a silver chain, jeans, dark T-shirt and a dark jacket with white Ecko brand patches on the shoulders.
A truck believed to have been the one stopped by Singh was later found in a garage in a mobile home park about 4 miles (6 kilometers) from the shooting, where law enforcement officers were serving a search warrant, The Modesto Bee reported. Investigators were examining the vehicle, police said.
Singh joined the Newman police force in 2011. Earlier in his career, Ronil Singh worked as a deputy with the Merced County Sheriff's Department.
"He was living the American dream," said Stanislaus County sheriff's Deputy Royjinder Singh, who is not related to the slain officer but knew him. "He loved camping, loved hunting, loved fishing, loved his family."
On his Facebook page, Ronil Singh posted pictures on Christmas Eve from a deep-sea fishing trip that produced a big haul of crabs and fish. His profile picture shows him smiling as he stands at a patrol car with a dog — the same photograph of the officer released by the Sheriff's Department.
Ronil Singh is survived by his wife, Anamika, and a 5-month-old son, authorities said..
A memorial fund has been established for Singh by the Stanislaus Sworn Deputies Association. Donations can be made in person at any West America Bank Branch to the Corporal Ronil Singh Memorial Fund or online.
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Early Monday morning Newman Police Cpl. Ronil Singh was shot and killed while conducting a traffic stop. ABC10 Reporter Lena Howland spoke with Singh's friend and former coworker to learn more about their relationship, and how he will go on after this tragedy.