California Police Deny Intentionally Burning Down Cabin Where Fugitive Ex-Cop Apparently Died

San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon said that his deputies shot pyrotechnic tear gas into the cabin and it erupted in flames.

He said the tactic was only intended to drive Dorner out, but it was not their intention to set the cabin on fire .

Sheriff McMahon did not say directly that the tear gas started the blaze and the cause of the fire remained unclear.

A body believed to be Dorner was discovered in the ashes of the cabin, but Sheriff McMahon said authorities have not positively identified the remains.

The six day man hunt ended on Tuesday when a man believed to be Dorner appeared from hiding, stole two cars, barricaded himself in a vacant cabin and mounted a last stand in a furious shootout in which he killed one sheriff's deputy and wounded another before the building erupted in flames.

He never emerged from the ruins and hours later a charred body was found in the basement of the burned cabin along with a wallet and personal items, including a California driver's license with the name Christopher Dorner, an official said.

"Our department is grieving from this event, it's just a terrible ordeal for all of us," said Sheriff McMahon.

Police said Dorner began his murderous run on February 6 after they connected the murder of a former police captain's daughter and her fiance three days earlier with his angry manifesto.

Within hours of being named as a suspect in the double murder, Dorner is accused of ambushing Riverside police officer Michael Crain and another officer. The officers were in their patrol car on February 7.

Dorner blamed Los Angeles Police Department Captain Randal Quan for providing poor representation before the police disciplinary board that fired him for filing a false report.

Dorner, who is black, claimed in his online rant that he was the subject of racism by the department and was targeted for doing the right thing.

Source: APTN