Officers witness 4 shot at in Riverside, engage suspects, 16 and 22

RIVERSIDE — Officers on routine patrol in Riverside witnessed two males shoot into a crowd of people, injuring two of the victims, late Sunday night, Jan. 13. Officers returned fire at the two alleged suspects – one of whom was just 16-years-old – before taking them into custody after the shooting, which happened in the 3300 block of Iowa Ave.

Two suspects, including the teen, have since been booked into Juvenile Hall and Riverside County Jail on a variety of felony charges related to the attempted murder of the four victims.

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Two Riverside Police Officers were on patrol shortly after 10:30 p.m., “when they observed a suspect firing a weapon at several people standing in the parking lot,” Riverside PD Public Information Officer Ryan Railsback said after the shootings and arrests.

“Four people were shot at resulting in two of them being struck by the suspect’s gunfire,” said Railsback.

Officers immediately engaged the two shooters, and “an officer involved shooting occurred as a result of the suspect shooting at the pedestrians,” Railsback explained.

The two gunshot injured victims were rushed to Riverside Community Hospital for treatment of injuries that Railsback described as “non-life threatening.”

Based on the circumstances, detectives from Riverside PD’s Robbery – Homicide Unit, along with specialists from the department’s Forensics Unit responded to assume the investigation. They were assisted by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.

The shooting suspect was identified as a 16-year-old, Riverside resident. He was arrested at the scene and later booked into Riverside Juvenile Hall. His name was not released due to his age.

The other alleged suspect, 22-year-old, Christopher Romero Lopez, was identified as a second suspect in the shooting and arrested at the scene. He was later booked into Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside. Jail records indicate he remains in custody and is being held in lieu of $1 million bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned at Riverside’s Hall of Justice, Jan 16.

Both suspects are facing four counts of attempted murder, four counts of assault with a deadly weapon, and conspiracy to commit a felony.

Riverside PD’s investigation is ongoing and Railsback declined to release any further details at this time.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to immediately contact Detective Jim Brandt at (951) 353-7137 or by email, or Detective Dave Riedeman (951) 353-7104 or by email. Those wishing to provide tips can do so anonymously by email, or by using Riverside PD’s mobile app “Submit a Tip” feature. Tipsters can refer to incident file number 190001424 and can remain anonymous.

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

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 47, moved last year to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta 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. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s 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 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.