Big Bear Lake, CA – A burned out pickup truck belonging to a former LAPD officer suspected in the killings of three people, including one Riverside, Calif. police officer, was found in the parking lot of Bear Mountain ski area in southern California’s San Bernardino Mountains on Thursday, prompting a manhunt throughout the ski area and the closure of the resort.

The quest to apprehend Christopher Dorner, of La Palma, Calif., which included following tracks from the mountain’s summit and a door-to-door search, has prompted many to flee the resort community of Big Bear Lake toward Highway 18 in the direction of the Lucerne Valley/Victorville area. Dorner posted an online manifesto on Facebook naming his targets in which he listed grievances with his former employer, the Los Angeles Police Department, including his struggles with the department’s internal affairs department which ultimately resulted in his termination in 2008. He further accused the department of racism and using excessive force.

“The department has not changed since the Rampart and Rodney King days. It has gotten worse,” Dorner wrote. “I know I will be vilified by the LAPD and the media. Unfortunately, this is a necessary evil that I do not enjoy but must partake and complete for substantial change to occur within the LAPD and reclaim my name.”

The ski area shut down operations on Thursday as the local sheriff set up a command post in the resort’s parking lot. Authorities believe Dorner is holed up somewhere in the mountains nearby. Guests were able to use their lift tickets at Snow Summit or receive a voucher to return to the mountain another day. Resort officials are urging guests to check the mountain’s website in the morning once operations for Friday are determined.

“We are working closely with the authorities and we will update the status of our operations as they release more information,” the ski resort posted on Thursday afternoon on its Facebook page. “We do expect to have Snow Summit open tomorrow and we are still waiting to find out what will happen at Bear Mountain.”

A military veteran who officially retired last week, Dorner graduated from Southern Utah University in 2001 with a degree in political science, with a minor in psychology.

Ironically, Bear Mountain and sister resort Snow Summit were hosting Uniform Day on Thursday, providing free lift tickets to police officers and military personnel.