PALM SPRINGS: Officer-involved shooting leaves man dead

PALM SPRINGS – A man who was believed to be armed with a weapon was shot and killed in a confrontation with Palm Springs police officers Friday, Nov. 4. The fatal shooting happened in a commercial business parking lot in the 300 block of S. Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs.

Officers responded to the area at 1:26 p.m., after City of Palm Springs emergency dispatchers received several urgent calls regarding a man who was yelling homophobic and racial slurs, urinating in public, and exposing himself to passing citizens, according to Riverside County Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Deputy Mike Vasquez.

At least one 911 caller told emergency dispatchers that the suspect was possibly armed with a knife or gun and acting erratically, Vasquez explained in a press release regarding the fatal shooting.

Two uniformed officers reportedly arrived and found the man in a Rite Aid parking lot, at 366 S. Palm Canyon Drive.

When officers contacted the suspect, he became combative and resisted their attempts to detain him. “A physical struggle ensued and an officer involved shooting occurred,” Vasquez explained. According to witnesses and officials, only one of the two officers discharged their weapons.

According to witnesses, after the suspect was shot the officers immediately began CPR and rendered medical aid to the mortally wounded man. Officers also requested priority assistance and summoned firefighter/paramedics and AMR personnel to the location.

Paramedics arrived a few minutes later and treated the man at the scene before transporting him to a local area hospital. He later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead by hospital staff.

In an interview with Desert Sun, Cody White – who works at a business near where the fatal incident occurred – said he was one of those who called 911 to report the suspect’s erratic behavior. White said he witnessed the altercation and saw an officer fire two shots at the man.

White explained that as the officers attempted to detain the suspect, the man lunged at the them while reaching into his waistband.

“It all happened very fast,” White explained. “The cops did the best job they could with him.”

A subsequent preliminary investigation determined one of the two officers was injured during the fatal encounter. Officials did not disclose if the injured officer was the one who had fired at the suspect. The injured officer sustained minor injuries and was treated and later released from an area hospital.

In a news conference Friday evening, Palm Springs Police Chief Bryan Reyes explained, “There was a struggle that went to the ground, resulting in an officer-involved shooting.”

The man’s identity has not been released, pending notification of his family.

The officer involved in the fatal shooting has been placed on administrative leave per Palm Springs Police Department policy. The officer’s name has not been released.

At the request of the Palm Springs Police Department, investigators from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit responded and assumed the investigation. District Attorney investigators and coroner officials responded to the scene of the deadly shooting to assist sheriff’s officials with their investigation.

“This is an ongoing investigation,” Vasquez wrote. “No further details regarding the incident will be released at this time.”

Riverside County sheriff’s officials have encouraged anyone with information regarding the incident or who witnessed the shooting to contact Central Homicide Investigator Dickey at (951) 955-2777. Callers can refer to incident file number R163090001 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

 

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.