[UPDATE 3:50 p.m.] Mendocino Law Enforcement Responding to Report of ‘Up to Seven Armed Individuals’

The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Department is responding to the 4000 block area of Iron Peak Road. Lt. Shannon Barney of the Sheriff’s Department tells us they don’t have a lot of information at this point. “All we have is a report of someone possibly getting a shot,” he said. “We are all rolling out. There may be up to seven armed individuals.”

Readers are telling us that there are up to 15 law enforcement vehicles in the area.

UPDATE 7:55 a.m.: Scanner traffic indicates law enforcement may have found evidence. An officer called in finding “two Jason masks and a machete” over a “berm.”

UPDATE 8:06 a.m.: Law enforcement is now near the area where shots were heard. They are looking for suspects in marijuana gardens, according to the scanner. They have to “clear” or make sure each one doesn’t hold an armed subject before they move further.

UPDATE 8:30 a.m.: A reader living in the area tells us he heard sirens about 6:50-7a.m. Then about 10 minutes later he heard one single shot.

UPDATE 9 a.m.: According to scanner traffic, law enforcement is still attempting to locate the actual residence attached to the phone call that came in originally reporting a shooting. Rural roads often do not have addresses or at least addresses that make sense and those living on the roads and thus making reports to law enforcement often don’t know their addresses.

Dispatch is going to listen again to the original call and see if they can glean more information that will make it easier for the officers on the scene to find the area of the reported crime. The one identifying characteristic the dispatch repeated about the original crime is that it occurred on a “400  plant grow.”

UPDATE 9:10 a.m.: The Mendocino Voice, our sister site, just posted an excellent update on the situation. It’s a must read.! Click here to be taken to their article on the Spy Rock shooting.

Captain Van Patton tells the Voice,

911 dispatch received a cell phone call at about 5:45am. The caller reported that a home invasion was in process, and that two people had been shot, an adult and a juvenile, on the 4000 block of Spy Rock Road. The caller indicated the suspects were seven or more adult males were involved in the home invasion, that they were  “Indian or hispanic,” and carrying both rifles and handguns.

But there is much more information.

UPDATE 10:30 a.m.: The Mendocino Voice just updated, “Mendocino Sheriff’s are stating that the victims were a mother and her son.” The two have not been located however.

UPDATE 12:50 p.m.: KPFN in Laytonville has been providing excellent on the scene updates live. Click here to stream on your computer. 

Also the Mendocino Sheriff’s Office posted this update on their Facebook page,

WE NEED YOUR HELP – The Sheriff’s Office is working on an incident at the intersection of Spy Rock Road and Iron Peak Road since early this morning.

There were reports of a possible marijuana robbery with at least one individual shot with a potential of 7 or more armed suspects. We have yet to find the reporting party, suspects or victims. We advise all area residents to be cautious and to report any unusual or suspicious activity to our dispatch center at (707) 463-4086. We have no descriptions of vehicles or persons involved beyond 7 dark complected men were involved.

We are asking for the public’s help – if you have any information that may be helpful regarding this incident please call 463-4086 as soon as possible.

Thank you to California Highway Patrol for assisting us on the ground and with air support (helicopter) and CalFire, Laytonville Fire Department and Verihealth Ambulance Service.

UPDATE 1:40 p.m.: In another comprehensive interview, the Mendocino Voice spoke with Lt. Barney who indicates that the initial report may not have been completely accurate. The Voice does a stellar job of giving the reader of an understanding of what law enforcement is currently thinking. Remember you can check it out here.

UPDATE 3:50 p.m.: The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office reports,

On 9-29-2016 around 5:46 AM the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Dispatch Center received a cellular 911 telephone call.  An exact location of the caller was not established.  A male caller advised that he’d fled his property, after being confronted by up to 7 armed males.  The caller suspected the persons were there to steal marijuana from him.  The caller stated the men shot his wife in the stomach and he suspected they may have shot his 16 year old son as well but he’d lost track of where his son was, suspecting the armed assailants might be chasing his son into the woods.

Approximately 30 Officers from Mendocino County Patrol Division, California Highway Patrol (CHP), Cal Fire Prevention Officers, and the Mendocino County Inter-agency SWAT Team responded to the call.  Once in the area officers were unable to locate the reporting party, any potential gunshot victims, or suspects.  Officers did find the possible crime scene but evidence of persons actually being shot was not found.  There were indications of recent firearms use present and several witnesses in the area reported hearing shots being fired, during what sounded like a possible verbal dispute, around 5:30 AM that morning.

CHP Air Unit out of Redding was called to assist and a helicopter responded to assist with the search of the area.  By noon Officers called off the search after being contacted by an individual who stated there was no one shot a the location, no one was injured, and the suspects had fled.  The individual stated he did not know the identify of the suspects in this case.

The case was turned over to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Investigations Unit.  Anyone with information related to this case is requested to contact the Tip Line at 707-234-2100.

The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank Cal Fire, California Highway Patrol, Laytonville Fire and Ambulance, and Veri Health Ambulance for their assistance on this call.