Officers Are Shot as Fugitive Is Cornered

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Fired Los Angeles Police Department officer Christopher Dorner is seen in an undated photo.

LOMA LINDA, Calif.�The manhunt for the former Los Angeles police officer suspected in three killings appeared to be approaching a crescendo Tuesday near the popular California ski town of Big Bear Lake, after one law-enforcement officer was killed and another injured in a gun battle with a car-thief suspect who authorities said matched the ex-cop's description.

Just after noon Tuesday, officers who had been scouring the area for the ex-cop, Christopher Dorner, responded to a report that a man matching his description had stolen a vehicle, a spokeswoman from the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department said. When deputies found the vehicle on one of the area's main roads, the suspect fled into the forest and barricaded himself inside a cabin, she said.

Shortly afterward, the deputies exchanged gunfire with the suspect and scores of gunshots were audible on the local police scanner and on a local television station that had a reporter in the area. Two deputies were airlifted to a local hospital with injuries, she said. One was confirmed dead by the Sheriff's Department, which added that the other was in surgery and was expected to survive.

Police immediately surrounded the cabin and closed the three main roads leading out of the mountain area. Late Tuesday afternoon, television footage showed flames and smoke pouring from the cabin where the suspect in those shootings was believed to be holed up. As dusk fell, authorities reopened the highway into the area, even as they continued to remain tight-lipped about whether they believed Mr. Dorner was alive or dead.

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A frame grab shows smoke from a police signal rising near a cabin where Christopher Dorner is believed to be barricaded in Big Bear, Calif.

Law-enforcement agencies had been searching the forest for Mr. Dorner since Thursday, when they discovered his abandoned truck on fire and followed footprints into the snow until they disappeared. After a fruitless search of 400 homes, officers suspended their search Friday amid heavy snowfall.

On Sunday the Los Angeles Police Department announced a $1 million reward for information leading to Mr. Dorner's capture. By Tuesday, officers were continuing to sift through 1,045 tips, some of which were dead ends and some of which were "panning out," LAPD Commander Andrew Smith said at a news conference.

"We believe this person may be watching TV�so we wouldn't want to tip our hand. That would put our officer at an extreme tactical disadvantage," said Mr. Smith, adding that the LAPD was ready to assist with the operation but was awaiting authorization from San Bernardino County officials.

Officials said late Tuesday afternoon that they still couldn't confirm that the person suspected of stealing the vehicle and shooting the deputies was definitely Mr. Dorner.

"Until we get this guy in handcuffs, we're not going to know for sure," said Mr. Smith.

The events began Feb. 3, when two people were found dead of gunshot wounds in a parking lot in Irvine, Calif. Authorities later named Mr. Dorner a suspect, saying one of the dead was the daughter of an LAPD officer who represented Mr. Dorner in a disciplinary review proceeding in 2008. Mr. Dorner was fired that year after that proceeding determined he had falsely accused another officer of using excessive violence. Mr. Dorner denied doing so.

Write to Hannah Karp at hannah.karp@dowjones.com and Erica E. Phillips at erica.phillips@dowjones.com