The Latest: Suspect in death of California officer arrested

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Latest on the killing of a California officer (all times local):

12:15 p.m.

Authorities say the man accused of killing a California police officer during a traffic stop has been captured.

Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson told reporters Friday that Gustavo Perez Arriaga was arrested in Bakersfield in the death of Cpl. Ronil Singh.

The sheriff says Perez Arriaga was in the country illegally after crossing the border in Arizona. He didn’t say when that happened but that he has been in the U.S. for several years.

Christianson says Perez Arriaga is from Mexico and was trying to cross back over the border before his arrest.

The sheriff says Perez Arriaga had two prior drunken driving arrests and known gang affiliations.

___

12 a.m.

Authorities are searching for a man believed to be living in the country illegally who they say gunned down a California police officer the day after Christmas, inflaming the nationwide debate on immigration.

President Donald Trump referred to the death of police Cpl. Ronil Singh in a tweet Thursday that ended with the demand: “Build the wall!”

Singh died Wednesday after stopping a suspected drunken driver in the tiny town of Newman in California’s agricultural San Joaquin Valley.

A suspect identified from convenience store video before the killing, remains at large and is considered armed and dangerous.

Newman’s police chief, Randy Richardson, held back tears Thursday as he described Singh — a native of Fiji — as a patriot who worked hard to serve his adopted country.