Burglary investigation leads to officer-involved shooting

LA QUINTA — A La Quinta Cove residential burglary investigation ended with the non-fatal shooting of a probationer who officials allege attacked them Wednesday evening, Jan. 16. The reported burglary and subsequent shooting happened in the 77300 block of Avenida Montezuma, northwest of Eisenhower Dr. and Calle Sinaloa.

The alleged suspect, later identified by jail records as 23-year-old, Christopher John Curci, was treated for injuries he sustained during the shooting and he was booked into Indio Jail this morning around 8:30 a.m. on a variety of charges including two counts of attempted murder and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon against a peace officer. He was also booked on suspicion of vandalism and violation of probation. He remains in custody on $1 million bail and is scheduled to be arraigned at Indio’s Larson Justice Center, Jan. 22.

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Deputies assigned to La Quinta Police Department were dispatched to the La Quinta Cove neighborhood just before 7:30 p.m., after receiving reports of a home burglary, Riverside Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Willison said after the shooting.

“While officers were conducting their investigation, officers were assaulted by an adult male and an officer involved shooting occurred,” Willison explained. “The suspect was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.”

Based on the circumstances, Riverside County Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit investigators responded to the scene and assumed the investigation. They were assisted by specialists from the Sheriff’s Forensic Services Bureau, who were seen documenting, photographing and collecting, evidence throughout the evening and into the next morning.

No deputies or other citizens were injured and there are no outstanding suspects or threats to public safety, according to Willison. The deputy involved in the shooting was placed on administrative leave per Department policy his name will not be released pending the shooting investigation, which is active and ongoing.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact Central Homicide Investigator Trudeau at (951) 955-2777, or Thermal Sheriff’s Station Investigator Munoz at (760) 863-8990. Callers can refer to incident file number LA190160064 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s Homicide Tipline online form.

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.