[NYPOST] A California deputy was shot dead and another wounded while attempting to free hostages being held by a gunman during an hours-long standoff, according to officials.Kern County SWAT officer Phillip Campas — a Marine veteran — was killed while trying to storm a house in Wasco Sunday afternoon amid reports that hostages were "down," officials said.
Another SWAT officer was also hit, suffering "moderate" injuries, Kern County Lt. Joel Swanson told news hounds at the scene.
Deputies had first responded around 1 p.m. Sunday to calls of "possibly subjects down" inside the house — with "shooting in the background" heard in some of the 911 calls, Swanson said from the scene, about 25 miles northwest of Bakersfield.
"When deputies arrived ... a subject inside the residence began shooting at the deputies," Swanson said.
"The deputies at that time were not struck but took cover," he added, with the entire neighborhood locking down as the SWAT team was called.
The SWAT team attempted to enter the house just before 3 p.m. and "the subject began firing at them from inside of the residence," Swanson said.
"Two of our deputies were struck," he said, with union officials and neighborhood departments among those identifying the fallen officer as Campas.