Murder suspect, 15-year-old daughter killed in shootout with police on California highway

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, Calif. — An Amber Alert ended Tuesday after a fugitive father and his missing teenage daughter were shot and killed during a shootout with sheriff’s deputies along a California Highway.

San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said Anthony John Graziano, 45, and 15-year-old Savanna Graziano died following the shooting on Interstate 15 just east of Los Angeles.

According to preliminary reports, the girl may have fired back at the deputies during the vehicle pursuit that started at 10:25 a.m. after a 911 caller reported seeing Graziano's Nissan Frontier near Highway 395, Discus said.

After a pursuit on southbound I-15, which included an exchange of gunfire, the suspect’s vehicle went off the road between the freeway and an off ramp.

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The suspect began firing at deputies, who fired back. During that time, a passenger wearing a tactical helmet and “trauma plate” on their chest exited the passenger side of the vehicle and ran toward deputies.

As the gunfight continued, deputies fatally struck the driver inside his truck. The passenger, who was later identified as the teenager, was also struck as she ran toward deputies.

The girl was transported to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead just before noon, Dicus said.

Authorities did not say whether the girl was struck by gunfire from deputies or her father, later found dead in his truck.

“This all needs to be confirmed,” as it is preliminary information, Dicus emphasized.

Dicus did not know how many times the teenager was shot. Only one AR-15-type rifle was found at the scene, he said.

One deputy was hit in the face with shrapnel during the gunfight. They were in stable condition Tuesday, Dicus said.

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A death and an Amber Alert

On Monday, Graziano's daughter was reported missing after her father was suspected of killing his wife, Tracy Martinez, 45, during a domestic violence-related incident that morning.

The shooting happened around 7:30 a.m. at a home in Fontana, police reported.

The Amber Alert, on behalf of the Fontana Police Department, included the description of Graziano's vehicle, a white 2017 Nissan Frontier with California license plate 44305G2.

Savanna Graziano was last seen with her father at 7:34 a.m. Monday.

Follow reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: California highway shooting east of LA ends with 2 dead, deputy hurt