Quick-Thinking Brothers Stop Fire Set By Man Before Citrus Heights Shooting

SACRAMENTO COUNTY (CBS13) – Officers now believe the suspect in the deadly officer involved shooting in Citrus Heights is the same man suspected of arson earlier that evening.

"He poured gasoline everywhere and he said, 'I have more gas," said Val Minlikayev who heard the screams from a few doors down. "It happened so fast and I saw the fire and the flames I didn't really know what to expect."

Val watched from his front door and called 911 while his younger brother Max grabbed a fire extinguisher and ran next door.

At the time neither knew their quick-thinking would help lead police to another crime scene in Citrus Heights.

"We had that he had fled the scene of an arson, that he was armed," said Officer Anthony Boehle with Citrus Heights Police Department.

Minlikayev's description of the vehicle helped officers track the truck to the suspect's home.

Investigators said the man pulled a gun, forcing officers to fire-- killing him.

The suspect was later identified as Michael McClurg who deputies said set fire, a vehicle registered to his ex-wife.

"We had a lot of officers very, very quickly and we needed all the help we could get with this particular situation," he said.

While it was a wild chase for police, it all began back in Rancho Cordova where Sacramento Metro Fire said the two brothers helped by literally taking action into their own hands.

"I was just thinking what would happen if the car exploded," Max said.

Metro fire said the 14-year-old did exactly what he was supposed to.

"The fact that Max had the clarity of mind to go in and grab the fire extinguisher while his brothers on the phone with 911, everything that needed to happen was happening simultaneously," said Captain Michelle Eidam, with Sacramento Metro Fire.

Even his older brother said he didn't think to grab the extinguisher.

"I am very proud of my brother," he said.

Now even metro fire are calling Max a local hero.

"Action like that absolutely save these people from their house their trees, potentially more cars catching on fire, people getting hurt," Eidam said.