Massive Manhunt Underway After Sheriff's Deputy Shot and Killed Near Ariz. Border

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Massive Manhunt Underway After Sheriff's Deputy Shot and Killed Near Ariz. Border

Published August 27, 2010 | FoxNews.com

Authorities in Utah are investigating a "credible sighting" of a gunman who allegedly shot and killed a Utah sheriff's deputy in a remote desert area in northern Arizona, Fox13Now.com reported.

Utah police said Kane County, Utah, Deputy Sheriff Brian Harris was shot Thursday about three miles east of Fredonia, a small town just south of the Utah border.

Officials say Harris, 41, was chasing a burglary suspect, identified as Scott Curley, 23, on foot Thursday afternoon when the suspect allegedly opened fire on Harris, killing the deputy with a high-powered rifle.

The manhunt for Curley continued through the night and into Friday. Scores of police officers, including FBI agents and U.S. Marshals from multiple states, scoured the remote desert area for any sign of Curley, described by authorities as Native American and 5"7', weighing 170 pounds.

On Friday, authorities said they received a 911 call from a woman in Kanab, Utah, who claimed she spotted a man matching Curley's description, according to the station.

The woman reportedly told police that the man was armed and standing near a trailer on a dirt road just six miles east of Kanab.

Arizona court records show multiple arrests for Curley, whom acquaintances describe as violent and unstable. Fox13Now.com reported that the incident first unfolded when Curley broke into Fredonia High School on Thursday, looking to steal chemicals in the science lab to make methamphetamine. A school custodian caught Curley, who then held him hostage for more than three hours, the station reported.

Coconino County sheriff's commander Kurt Braatz said Harris was a resident of Mount Carmel, Utah, married with two daughters.

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert described the sheriff's deputy as a lawman who put "himself in a dangerous situation to protect his community."

Harris' friends and family members gathered at his home on Friday to offer comfort and condolences.

"He was our go-to guy," his mother Bonnie Harris told The Salt Lake City Tribune. "He did everything for us."

The Gulf War veteran joined the sheriff's office after returning from the Mideast and enjoyed his work, especially rescuing lost or stranded people, said his brother, Bert Harris.

"He loved law enforcement. It was his thing," said his father Bruce Harris.

Click here to read more on this story from Fox13Now.com

The Associated Press contributed to this report
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