According to Kern County Sheriff’s Office, two search and rescue volunteers were robbed at gunpoint yesterday while they were searching for missing hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail. The volunteers were on the trail between Highway 58 and Kelso Valley Road, California at the time of the robbery.
Kern County Sheriff’s Office is reporting that the suspects were two hispanic males with handguns and rifles.
The missing hikers were located and rescued by long-line helicopter following the robbery.
The Sheriff’s Office and the USFS have now closed that segment of the Pacific Crest Trail until they determine the trail is safe.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing.
“So.CAL TRAIL CLOSURE in SECTION F: Saturday evening, July 8, the Kern County Sheriff’s Department (KCSO) initiated a public safety closure of the Pacific Crest Trail between Hwy 58 (east of Tehachapi) and Kelso Valley road (Mile 566-616). This is in response to the armed robberies of a civilian user and civilian members of the KCSO search and rescue team, which occurred on the PCT. KCSO has posted closure signs at the above locations, and will be inItiating a law enforcement response to address this criminal activity. The closure will lifted by KCSO after the threat has been mitigated.” – Pacific Crest Trail Association