Man fatally shot by Big Sur rangers suspected in Bay Area freeway shooting, officials say

Authorities have identified the man who was shot and killed by rangers on Saturday in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and linked him to a deadly freeway shooting in the Bay Area.

The man, identified as 26-year-old Kevin Anthony Alaniz of Milpitas, is suspected in a fatal shooting that happened on Interstate 680 in Milpitas earlier in June, according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

Authorities said during a news conference in Salinas on Thursday that before he was shot by rangers, Alaniz fired shots at two hikers, the Mercury News reported.

One of the hikers called 911 late Saturday afternoon and reported that a man fired a gun at him and a friend while they were near the summit of the Mt. Manuel Trail, Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni said during the conference, the Santa Cruz Sentinel reported.

The hikers had encountered Alaniz and he apparently “got into the face of one of them and said ‘This is my world,’ ” Pacioni said, the Mercury News reported. The hikers turned and walked away, which is when they heard the gunshots: one of the bullets hit a nearby tree.

Three State Park rangers confronted Alaniz as he was walking on the trail and two of them fired a total of 9 shots at him, according to KPIX and the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

No one else was injured, State Parks said on Sunday.

Alaniz had been identified as a suspect in the death of Matthew Rios, 30, who was fatally shot while he was driving home on Interstate 680 on June 17, KPIX reported.

Authorities said Thursday that Alaniz had been identified as a suspect in the killing, stating that it was “a targeted attack,” The Mercury News reported. Evidence found at the scene in Big Sur, including the gun and ammunition, linked him to the shooting, the newspaper reported.

Pacioni said during the news conference that authorities believe Alaniz was hiding out due to the investigation into the highway shooting, according to KPIX.

This story was originally published June 27, 2019 at 11:58 AM.