Police: 'We're going to continue as though he's still out there'

Posted: Feb 12, 2013 9:35 PM by Kelly Orsini, NBC News

Contrary to earlier published reports, the Los Angeles Police Department says there has been no body found in a mountain cabin. In fact, officials say it is too early to gain entry to the burned cabin. While it remains possible that rogue ex-cop Christopher Dorner died in the blaze, police say there is no way to confirm that information at this time.

"That cabin is still too hot for anybody to make entry," said LAPD Commander Andrew Smith, "There has been no body located inside of that cabin. That cabin has not yet been searched because the fire is still too hot, as of five minutes ago, for anybody to go into there. Any reports of a body being found are not true. No body has yet been found in there. Any reports that that body has been identified as Christopher Dorner are not true. No body has been identified and no body has been located."

Smith said police are not letting their guard down.

"Until we have confirmation, A: that a body was located and B: that that body belongs to Christopher Dorner, the Los Angeles Police Department is going to continue on with its high-profile protection detail of our officers. We're going to continue to provide protection to our officers and those families that have been identified as possible threats," Smith said.

Police urged patience in the event that a body is found.

"Recovering bodies out of burned buildings, as you may know, is very difficult, and it's difficult to identify the remains of someone in a building. And that could take days or possibly even weeks to do a DNA analysis or a forensic dental analysis, depending on the condition of the body."

"Until Mr. Dorner has been identified as either deceased, or he's got handcuffs on him and he's sitting in a jail, we're going to continue as though he's still out there. We just want to make sure, under an abundance of precaution, to make sure that all our officers, and the citizens in Los Angeles, are safe," Smith said.