Arrossted

On August 31, 2019, shortly before 5 pm, Mono County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a burglary at Ernie’s Tackle Shop in June Lake. 

According to a press release issued by the Mono County Sheriff’s department, the suspect, Jeffrey Ross, “had taken a shotgun from the store” and was alone in his apartment, located below street level. 

Deputies heard a muffled shot from inside Ross’s apartment and later determined that Ross had fired one round into the ceiling. 

Above Ross’s apartment was ‘Sierra Wave T-shirt shop,” occupied at the time of the shot. 

Due to the hostility of the situation, the possession and firing of a weapon, and Ross’s refusal to leave his apartment, the Inyo-Mono Special Enforcement Detail (SED) responded to the scene.

The road was also blocked off and the neighboring Tiger Bar was evacuated. 

Entertainment scheduled for the evening at the T-Bar Social Club was also canceled. 

Ross continued to refuse to leave his apartment and “at approximately 11:30 p.m., SED made a forcible entry into the residence and took Ross into custody.

The press release noted that despite forceable entry, Ross was not significantly injured in the process.

Jeffrey Ross was taken to Mono County jail in Bridgeport and booked on several charges, including but not limited to “Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Shooting into an Inhabited Dwelling, and Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm.” 

Agencies involved in resolving the active shooter situation were “California Highway Patrol, June Lake Fire Department, Mono County Emergency Medical Services and the Inyo-Mono Special Enforcement Detail (which is comprised of members from the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office, Bishop Police Department and Mono County Sheriff’s Office).