RIVERSIDE: Rolling gun battle leads to capture of suspect
Countless official vehicle flooded into the area after the rolling gun battle. William Hayes photo
All photos by Loudlabs News
RIVERSIDE – A traffic stop of a van that matched the description of a vehicle involved in a shooting led to a wild and dangerous rolling gun battle Tuesday, October 11. During the pursuit, the alleged suspect repeatedly fired his weapon – a “modified assault rifle” – at pursuing officers.
The original incident the van was suspected of being involved in was described by officials as a drive-by shooting that happened in the City of Corona Sept. 17.
At the end of the pursuit, officers arrested and booked Leslie D. Berry Jr., 38, of Corona, into the Robert Presley Detention Center on suspicion of attempted murder of three police officers, felony evading, and felony discharge of a firearm charges, according to Centralized Investigations Bureau Robbery-Homicide Unit Sergeant Troy Banks. It is expected the District Attorney’s office will file additional charges against Berry at his arraignment.
The incident began at about 5:58 p.m., when a Corona Police sergeant spotted a 1996 Dodge van believed to have been involved in the September shooting incident.
The corner of Van Buren and Indiana looked like a patrol car dealership, with dozens of official vehicles stacked up at the intersection. Mike Lange photo
Based on the possible connection to the prior shooting incident, the sergeant initiated a traffic stop on the van. Although Berry initially yielded to the sergeant on Magnolia Avenue near Buchanan Avenue in the City of Riverside, when the sergeant warned Berry he believed the man was armed, Berry immediately fled the traffic stop.
Almost exactly one minute after the Corona PD sergeant advised he was in pursuit of Berry in the fleeing van, Berry stopped his van and fired multiple shots at the Corona Police Sergeant in the area of Magnolia Avenue and Pierce Street in the City of Riverside. Riverside police detectives who were converging on the pursuit returned fire on the suspect.
“Riverside Police detectives were driving through this location when they witnessed the Corona Police Sergeant being fired upon and they returned fire at the suspect,” Banks explained in an official press release from Riverside PD.
The sergeant put out the first of many reports that Berry was firing shots at him and other pursuing officers. The sergeant also advised dispatchers his patrol vehicle had been struck by some of the fired rounds.
The intersection of Van Buren and Indiana became all but impassable for several hours after the conclusion of the pursuit. Mike Lange photo
After the sergeant put out the shots fired call, law enforcement officers from countless agencies, surrounding cities, and other counties began converging on the area.
As Berry continued to flee, he fired once again on the Corona Police Sergeant and Riverside police detectives as he was entering the eastbound 91 Freeway.
Despite being repeatedly fired upon, the Corona Police sergeant and Riverside Police detectives continued pursuing Berry, at great peril to their own lives.
“The suspect exited the 91 Freeway at Tyler Street, and proceeded south to Indiana Avenue into a shopping center where he stopped, exited the van and again fired multiple shots at the pursuing Detectives and Sergeant,” Banks wrote in the release. “The Riverside police detectives returned fire and the suspect got back into the van and fled.”
An audio recording of Corona PD’s radio traffic, that was posted both on Facebook as well as YouTube, (Listen Below) revealed the sergeant reported shots fired again while the pursuit was headed eastbound on Indiana Avenue after exiting the freeway.
The suspect’s white van can be seen where he abandoned it after crashing into another vehicle. Mike Lange photo
Berry continued fleeing east on Indiana Avenue, while firing more shots at the pursuing sergeant, detectives and other Riverside and Corona police officers who were beginning to join the pursuit.
About one minute later, the sergeant reported Berry was shooting through back windows of his van while still heading eastbound on Indiana Avenue.
Less than sixty seconds later, as Berry made a right turn onto southbound Van Buren Boulevard, the armed suspect jumped out of the van after it collided with an on-coming vehicle being driven northbound on Van Buren Boulevard.
Berry fled on foot from the pursuing officials while still armed with his rifle. He ran across Van Buren Boulevard, through the USA Gas station and then southeast across a set of railroad tracks into Brookhurst Mill, an industrial area filled with large silos. Once inside the industrial area, Berry attempted to hide from officials from Riverside and Corona Police, CHP and numerous other agencies who were continuing to flood into the area.
Numerous crime scene markers can be seen on the ground where the suspect fired multiple rounds at the pursuing officers. Mike Lange photo
Heavily armed officials from countless agencies set up a perimeter around the area and began searching for Berry. About 20 minutes later Berry emerged from the southeastern side of the Brookhurst Mill and surrendered to officers in the area of Van Buren Boulevard and Rudicill Street. He was taken into custody without further incident.
After Berry was arrested, officials located his modified assault rifle.
“Fortunately, no officers or citizens were injured during this incident,” Banks reported. “The suspect was also not injured.”
Detectives from the Riverside Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Unit, along with Forensic Technicians assumed the investigation. They were assisted by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office and the Corona Police Department.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Rick Cobb at (951) 353-7135 or Detective Rick Wheeler at (951) 353-7134. Callers can refer to incident file number P16188038 and can remain anonymous.
Officers are seen walking back to their vehicles after the shooting suspect was captured. William Hayes photo
Click any image to view full-sized gallery.
Audio from yesterday’s traffic stop and rolling gun battle. CoronaPoliceActivity – Facebook
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg in an off-duty accident.
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including the Robert Presley Detention Center, the Southwest Station in Temecula, the Hemet Station, and the Lake Elsinore Station, along with many other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, Personnel and Background Investigations and he finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator.
Trevor has been married for more than 26 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and has 13 children and 12 – soon to be 13 – grandchildren.