Several police officers wounded in shootout with suspect after massive California manhunt

Several police officers were wounded while apprehending a suspect in Paso Robles, California. The suspect is believed to have shot a deputy in the head, precipitating a massive manhunt.

"Suspect down. Several officers wounded," the official Paso Robles Police Department account tweeted on Thursday.

KERO-TV reported that the suspect was shot and killed by police.

Officers were seeking Mason James Lira, 26, in the shooting of a deputy in the head at the police station in Paso Robles early Wednesday morning.

The suspect escaped, and police believe he killed a transient during the period he was on the loose.

On Wednesday evening, police announced their suspect was Lira. His family told USA Today that he was homeless and suffered from mental illness.

"With his mental health illness, he doesn't want to be in a room or house, he wanted to be on the streets," said his father, Jose Lira.

The deputy wounded in the Wednesday attack has been identified as Nicholas Dreyfus, 28. He was hospitalized and his prognosis is good.

Investigators believe the suspect might be connected to other recent violent crimes in the area.

"The mental health here is useless, actually everywhere in California," said Lira's father. "There are hundreds of Masons on our streets."

Update: Authorities have confirmed at least 3 officers were injured during Wednesday's shooting.

Here's a local news report about the shootout:

Paso Robles shooter is dead, multiple officers woundedwww.youtube.com