NORTH FORK - Early Thursday morning, members of the Fresno HEAT (Help Eliminate Auto Theft) Task Force located a stolen car in Fresno County.  The team conducted a surveillance operation on the car and followed the suspect, Kyle Patrick Snipes (29) into Madera County.

The driver, Snipes, realized he was being followed and lead law enforcement officers to a home on the 49000 block of Road 210, near the community of Fine Gold.  Snipes got out of the car and ran toward the house.  HEAT members surrounded the home and identified themselves as law enforcement.

Officers and deputies exchanged dialogue with a resident inside the home, Gilbert Jake Vanderburgh (61),  for approximately one hour and he refused to surrender.  Vanderburgh then pointed a rifle out a window of the home in the direction of officers.  A Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputy who is on the HEAT Task Force fired two shots with his rifle at the gunman, which struck and killed him.

The Madera County Sheriff’s SWAT team searched the house and found it to be empty.  They did recover the rifle Vanderburgh pointed at officers.  A woman who was inside the stolen vehicle was taken into custody for questioning, but was not arrested.

Detectives have learned through their investigation that the man who fled the scene and remains on the loose is Kyle Patrick Snipes (29).  He is described as being white, 6’3”tall, 220 lbs. with blond hair, blue eyes and several visible tattoos.

He was last seen wearing a black tank top, beige or blue shorts and may have a cut on his forehead.  In addition to being wanted in connection with Thursday’s case, Snipes is also a parolee at large who is wanted on robbery charges and has an active warrant for narcotics violations.

Early Saturday morning, April 25, 2015, Fresno Police Officers from the Northwest District responded to a call regarding a suspicious vehicle with a gun inside and took Snipes into custody.

Officers responded and first set up a perimeter around the area. Officers saw a light going on and off inside the car.  According to the Fresno Police Department, Snipes who is a member of the "Fresneck" Gang (a loosely organized white street gang), emerged from an area near the vehicle. When Snipes saw officers he immediately tried to run away. As he was trying to jump a fence, he was apprehended by officers, and found to be in possession of a loaded Glock handgun, with large capacity magazines, which are illegal. Officers disarmed him and arrested him.

Officers then searched the car itself and located the following items in the car: Methamphetamines, 300 rounds of ammunition, 40 caliber Ruger handgun, 4 large capacity magazines, multiple syringes, marijuana smoking pipes, and 10 holsters. Snipes was found to be on Parole for home invasion robbery. On her brother's arrest in April, Kyle's sister Kellie Snipes had this to say on Facebook, "This man likes to go hunting and drive fast cars. He's my daredevil brother who made some mistakes. He's not a violent person."

The initial investigation of Thursday's North Fork shooting indicates Snipes and Vanderburgh knew each other, but their exact relationship is unknown at this point. Snipes should be considered armed and dangerous and members of the public are urged not to approach him; instead call law enforcement immediately. There is a Crimestoppers reward for any information that might lead to Snipes arrest.

Snipes is believed to be still be in the North Fork area walking towards Friant, where his grandmother had a home. His brother, Donald Keith Snipes Jr. was released from the Fresno County Jail for felony probation violations on June 10th. Neither of the sheriff's departments would confirm if Kyle Snipes has a cellular phone nor the identity of the woman who was in the stolen car with Snipes.

Snipes has relatives in Madera, Fresno, Visalia and the 17 Mile Drive area of  Pebble Beach near Monterey. He also has a substantial bank account from an inheritance from his grandmother and father who both passed away over the last two years.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Kyle Snipes is asked to please contact the Madera County Sheriff’s Office at (559) 675-7770, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office at (559) 600-3111, or call Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-STOP (7867).