UPDATE: Suspect(s) Who Fired on East Bay Parks Officer May Have Been Protecting Marijuana Grow, Police Say

The search continued Tuesday for at least one man who fired on an East Bay Regional Park District officer Monday night, possibly while defending an illegal pot farm, police said. 

The officer was conducting a foot patrol near the Upper San Leandro Reservoir at around 6:50 p.m. when at least one suspect fired an assault rifle at him.

Police said the officer returned fire and took cover. He was not injured in the attack.

The officer called for emergency assistance and was safely extricated from the scene using the park district police armored rescue vehicle, police said.

The shooter or shooters may have been attempting to protect a
marijuana grow operation, East Bay Regional Park Police Capt. Mark Ruppenthal said.

The search is being conducted by special response teams from park
police assisted by Alameda County Sheriff's deputies and air support from the park police helicopter. The search was put on pause overnight but resumed Tuesday morning.

The remote area is located 2 to 4 miles south of Moraga town limits, near the border between Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Monday night's attack was in Alameda County, but today's search is being conducted on both sides of the county line.

The police helicopter is conducting a sweep of the watershed lands
and providing cover for the officers on foot.

Park police were assisted in Monday night's search by the California Highway Patrol, the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office, and the
Richmond, Moraga, Orinda, and Lafayette police departments.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 510-881-1833.