Suspect in reservation shooting dies from wounds

PORTERVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A man suspected of shooting three people to death and wounding another on an Indian reservation died Sunday from his injuries in a shootout with police, authorities said.

Hector Celaya, 31, died several hours after he was wounded during gunfire with Tulare County sheriff’s deputies as he tried to flee in a vehicle. His death was confirmed by sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Douglass, who did not release details.

Authorities apprehended him about six hours after deputies were called late Saturday to a trailer on the Tule Indian Reservation, about 50 miles north of Bakersfield. Inside, they found the body of a man and a woman; the body of another man was nearby.

Deputies also discovered a wounded young boy, whose condition and age were not known.

A motive for the attacks was not immediately known.

Officials said Celaya also shot his two daughters, ages 5 and 8, who were with him in the vehicle when he was apprehended. It was unclear when the girls were shot.

One girl suffered life-threatening injuries while the other girl was less seriously hurt.

___

Associated Press writer John S. Marshall contributed to this report from San Francisco.