$1 million reward for information leading to fugitive ex-cop in LA

         
Police blocked off a street and stood guard in front of a home in a typically quiet Los Angeles suburb Sunday, protecting a man they believe has been targeted by a fugitive ex-police officer suspected of killing three people and setting the region on edge by eluding authorities in a sprawling manhunt that has lasted days.              

Irvine residents, meanwhile, were left to adjust to life in the midst of a heavy police presence and wonder when things might return to normal.                       

Authorities have been working to protect dozens of families in the area considered targets based on Christopher Dorner's Facebook rant against those he held responsible for ending his career with the Los Angeles Police Department five years ago.                        

Among those the 33-year-old Dorner is suspected of killing is a Riverside police officer, and on the fourth day of the manhunt, authorities put up a $1 million reward for information leading to his capture.                         

Just a few hours after the award announcement a reported Dorner sighting had police surrounding a Los Angeles home improvement store, but police spokesman Gus Villanueva could not immediately say whether the tip was legitimate.                        

After days without resolution, Dorner's fugitive status caused concern among some and downright fear among others in Irvine, an upscale community that the FBI consistently ranks among the safest cities in the US.


AP