UPDATED: CHERRY VALLEY: Two confirmed dead following standoff with barricaded subject
UPDATE: March 26, 9 p.m. With additional information from sheriff’s department.
Authorities remained at the scene of the reported murder-suicide for hours after the incident ended. John Strangis photo
CHERRY VALLEY – Sheriff’s officials provided more information about Saturday’s deadly barricaded standoff that ended with two people dead, March 25.
Authorities are calling the incident a murder-suicide.
The victim was later identified as Jose Leon, 46, of Cherry Valley. The suspect was identified as John Malicek, 67, of Cherry Valley.
The deadly incident happened at the Royal Coach mobile home park in Cherry Valley. The mobile home park is in the 39000 block of Cherry Valley Boulevard, between Nancy and Beaumont Avenues.
Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Cabazon Station responded to an assault with a deadly weapon call at the mobile home park about 10:51 a.m.
When they arrived, “deputies located one deceased Hispanic male adult in the roadway,” Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Jeff Buompensiero explained in a written press release after the incident. “The male sustained gunshot injuries that caused his death.”
Several streets in the area were cordoned off and closed to through traffic during the incident. Miguel Shannon/Epicenter News photo
At that time, “Deputies…heard additional gunshots coming from a residence at the location,” Buompensiero said.
Deputies immediately established a perimeter around the mobile home where the body was found and the gunshots were heard and requested assistance from the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (SERT/SWAT) as well as Beaumont PD.
The incident led to a several-hours long standoff.
Three armored tactical rescue vehicles – including two from Riverside Sheriff and one from Beaumont PD – responded to the scene during the standoff, as did a sheriff’s mobile command center. The command center was set up at an undisclosed location nearby. Numerous fire and paramedic vehicles were staged nearby.
A sheriff’s aviation unit helicopter circled the area – relaying information to officials on the ground – throughout the incident.
At one point a sheriff’s armored battering ram was brought to the residence, however it was not immediately known how or if the ram was used.
Forensic technicians from the Sheriff’s Forensic Services Bureau responded to the location to assist with the investigation. John Strangis photo
“While securing the residence the SWAT team located a deceased White male adult inside (the mobile home),” Buompensiero explained. “The male sustained gunshot injuries that caused his death.”
Investigators from the Cabazon Station and Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit responded and assumed the investigation.
“Based upon evidence at the scene it appears this is a murder/suicide,” Buompensiero wrote.
The area of Cherry Valley Boulevard and Beaumont Avenue was cordoned off with crime scene tape and closed to through traffic for several hours while officials investigated the incident. The mobile home park remained closed until officials concluded their investigation.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Investigator Loureiro from the Central Homicide Unit at 760-393-3524. Callers can refer to incident file number B170840010 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s Homicide Tipline online form.
ORIGINAL STORY
CHERRY VALLEY – Details are still emerging, but sheriff’s officials have confirmed two people are dead after a subject barricaded themselves inside a mobile home at the Royal Coach mobile home park in Cherry Valley. The mobile home park is in the 39000 block of Cherry Valley Boulevard, between Nancy and Beaumont Avenues.
Officials are investigating an incident that left two people dead. John Strangis photo
Although the incident was initially reported by Beaumont police officials as an active shooter situation, both Beaumont PD and Riverside County Sheriff’s officials later clarified the incident had been related to a barricaded suspect and had not been considered an active shooter incident.
The deadly standoff began Saturday morning, March 25, as a reported “Shooting/Possible Homicide” Riverside County Sheriff’s Media Information Bureau released in a social media tweet. “Suspect believed to be barricaded in home,” the tweet explained.
Deputies responded to the area where they found a victim dead in front of a mobile home.
Deputies immediately established a perimeter around the mobile home where the body was found and requested assistance from the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (SERT/SWAT) as well as Beaumont PD.
The incident led to a several-hours long standoff.
During the long standoff, dozens of sheriff and police vehicles lined the streets, while deputies and officers maintained a perimeter around the area. For their protection, residents were kept from entering or leaving where the incident was occurring.
Riverside Sheriff’s and Beaumont PD’s SWAT armored tactical rescue vehicles responded to the standoff. Miguel Shannon/Epicenter News photo
Three armored tactical rescue vehicles – including two from Riverside Sheriff and the other from Beaumont PD – responded to the scene during the standoff, as did a sheriff’s mobile command center. The command center was set up at an undisclosed location nearby. Numerous fire and paramedic vehicles were staged nearby.
A sheriff’s aviation unit helicopter circled the area throughout the incident.
It was not immediately known if nearby residents were evacuated from their homes; however officials were not allowing residents to return to their homes for several hours.
At one point a sheriff’s armored battering ram was brought to the residence, however it was not immediately known how or if the ram had been used.
Officials have not yet specified how the incident came to a conclusion; however, in the hours after the emergency ended sheriff’s investigators, forensic technicians from the department’s Forensic Services Bureau and other officials were seen coming and going from the mobile home where the standoff occurred.
The sheriff’s Media Information Bureau has indicated a press release with additional information would be provided at a later time.
The area of Cherry Valley Boulevard and Beaumont Avenue was cordoned off with crime scene tape and closed to through traffic for several hours while officials investigated the incident. The mobile home park was expected to remain closed until officials concluded their investigation.
Beaumont police officials updated that the roadway had been reopened about 3:30 p.m.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Riverside sheriff’s officials at (951) 922-7100. Callers can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.
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Trevor Montgomery runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News and Anza Valley Outlook and also writes for Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.
Trevor 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 and breaking his back in an off-duty accident.
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with 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 and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
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.
I live in the trailer park where the shooting took place. My sister has heart problems and it took them forever to let me get to her. I was disrespected by 2 officers .it was not a good day.
Maybe they were just trying to protect you. If there is someone barricade you walk by and get shot it’s their fault. Think about it from all points of view not just yours.
They let us walk out of the trailer park and didn’t stop us knowing what was going on.