UPDATED: Sheriff’s investigating after RPD officers fatally shoot man in JV neighborhood

UPDATED: Thursday, Mar. 9, 2 a.m. With photos and additional details

JURUPA VALLEY — Sheriff’s officials have released information about a deadly officer-involved shooting that happened last night at a private residence on the 9900 block of Willowbrook Road in Jurupa Valley. The home where the shooting happened is northwest of Van Buren Boulevard and Jurupa Road, about ten miles west of downtown Riverside.

SEE UPDATE: More facts emerging after fatal Riverside PD shooting in Jurupa Valley

In a Nixle alert, sheriff’s officials explained the shooting happened when Riverside PD officers were conducting an investigation and searching for a wanted suspect at the Jurupa Valley home.

“As the officers encountered the suspect an officer involved shooting occurred,” sheriff’s officials explained. “Life-saving measures were performed, but the suspect succumbed to his injuries.”

Citing the ongoing investigation, officials have not released the deceased person’s name and have stated that pending further investigation, officials will be withholding his identification.

One area resident who requested to not be identified later told CBS2/KCAL9 news that moments before hearing “five or six shots,” they heard people shouting commands and a person scream, “Don’t shoot! There are children here.”

Officials have not confirmed if any children were at or inside the residence or where they were when the deadly shooting happened.

Riverside County Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit investigators have assumed the investigation and have not yet released any additional details regarding the ongoing investigation.

According to sheriff’s officials, Riverside PD also sent “an investigative team” to the scene to assist with the Sheriff’s investigation as well as conduct a separate internal investigation into the shooting itself, in order to determine if the shooting was within departmental policy.

Sheriff’s officials also explained that the officers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave in accordance with their department’s policy.

Asked why Riverside PD officers were involved in a shooting within Jurupa Valley, Riverside Sheriff’s spokesperson Deputy Mike Vasquez explained to CBS2/KCAL9 News, “Those details specifically about the investigation are going to be held back a little bit longer as we flesh things out.”

The investigation is active and ongoing and the Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit has encouraged anyone with information regarding this incident or who witnessed the deadly shooting to contact Investigator Johnson at (760) 393-3502, or Investigator Liu of the Jurupa Valley Station at (951) 955-2600.

(See additional photos below.)

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information becomes available.

 

JURUPA VALLEY — Sheriff’s officials are investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that happened earlier tonight in a quiet Jurupa Valley neighborhood. The deadly shooting happened on the 9900 block of Willowbrook Road, northwest of Van Buren Boulevard and Jurupa Road, about ten miles west of downtown Riverside.

Citing the ongoing investigation – which is still in its early stages – officials have only released minimal details confirming that Riverside County Sheriff’s Department is assisting Riverside Police Department with an officer-involved shooting investigation.

Officials have not yet stated why Riverside PD officers were in the city of Jurupa Valley; however, it is not uncommon for officers to respond outside their jurisdictions and “normal” beat areas during ongoing investigations.

Cal Fire/Riverside County firefighters and other emergency first responders were dispatched to the scene of the shooting shortly after 5:30 p.m., when Riverside PD officers put out an emergency broadcast advising that officers had been involved in a shooting and a person was down at the scene.

After receiving the emergency broadcast, officials from multiple area agencies converged on the neighborhood where the shooting happened. Firefighters, paramedics and AMR medics also responded to the scene; however, it was not immediately known what roles the various agencies played in the investigation.

Officials quickly cordoned off a large area along Willowbrook Road near the intersection of Foxburough Road and deputies positioned around the perimeter of the crime scene were observed redirecting stunned area residents trying to get home.

James Sudenberg later explained he had been watering his front lawn when he heard “lots of shouting” followed by “a volley of gunfire” from the next street over from his. Sudenberg explained he could not tell what had been shouted or exactly how many rounds were fired, which he described as being fired “in rapid succession.”

“When I first heard the gunshots I turned off the water and froze for a moment, then ran into my house and called 911 to report the gunfire,” Sudenberg explained. “When I couldn’t get through to 911, I turned on my TV to see if there was anything on the news about what was happening.”

Sudenberg said he later found information about the shooting on Riverside PD’s Facebook page. (See RPD social media post below)

Because the incident happened within the city of Jurupa Valley, sheriff officials were summoned to the scene and are currently assisting Riverside PD’s ongoing investigation. Although it is likely that the Sheriff’s Department will be handling the shooting investigation, officials have not yet specified which agency is investigating the shooting.

As the investigation was getting underway, numerous law enforcement officers – including Riverside PD, West PACT members, and RPD/UCR UNET officers – could be seen near the location of the shooting.

Some were in patrol uniforms, others were wearing tactical gear typically worn by officers assigned to special teams or unique assignments outside normal patrol operations. Numerous sheriff’s deputies, investigators and other officials were also observed at the scene of the shooting.

The University Neighborhood Enhancement Team – or UNET – is a cooperative effort between the University of California Police Department at Riverside and the Riverside Police Department. According to City of Riverside and Riverside PD, UNET officers are encouraged to “identify community concerns and seek out community-oriented approaches to solving those concerns.”

The County’s West PACT Team monitors PRCS releases from state prison as well as convicted felons released from county jail who are placed on mandatory supervision. According to the Riverside County’s District Attorney office, PACT members focus on “high-risk” and/or “at-large” PRCS offenders and those on mandatory supervision from county jail “who pose the greatest risk to public safety.”

Sheriff’s officials eventually brought a mobile command center to the scene and the RV became a hub of activity at the crime scene.

Throughout the evening, forensic technicians from the Sheriff’s Forensic Services Bureau, coroner’s officials and others documented the scene of the shooting, photographed and collected evidence, and interviewed witnesses.

A garage door at the home where the deadly shooting happened stood partially opened and throughout the evening various officials were seen coming and going from the home and some were observed focusing their attention on an area to the side of the home, near a gate heading into the home’s back yard.

According to a Riverside PD Facebook post, no officers were injured during the incident but no other details were expected to be released tonight.

Riverside County Sheriff Department’s Central Homicide Unit has encouraged anyone with information regarding this incident or who witnessed the deadly shooting to contact Investigator Johnson at (760) 393-3502, or Investigator Liu of the Jurupa Valley Station at (951) 955-2600.

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information becomes available.

Click any image to open full-size gallery.

Riverside PD Facebook post

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, who recently moved from Riverside County to Shasta County, runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook as well as 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, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries 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.