Rifle-wielding domestic violence suspect shot by Indio officer
INDIO — A man who officials say has a history of domestic violence and is “well-known” to local officers was shot and injured early this morning, Tuesday, April 30, after threatening to kill his family as well as any officers who responded to his home. The shooting, which followed reports of a domestic violence-related incident, happened at a residence in the 81-200 block of Daffodil Court near Violet St., southeast of Ave. 49 and Hjorth St.
After the early morning shooting the suspect, whose name has not been released, was treated at Desert Regional Medical Center for a gunshot wound to his shoulder. He is expected to survive, Indio Police Chief Mike Washburn later reported.
This morning’s officer involved shooting was the third shooting involving Indio PD in the last three weeks. One of the other two shootings happened April 10 and ended with the death of an alleged robbery suspect. The second incident happened at the end of a high-speed pursuit when the suspect opened fire on officers, who fired back at the armed man. Nobody was struck or injured during the exchange of gunfire.
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Indio police officers were dispatched to the residence at 5:35 a.m., after someone inside the home called 911 and reported the suspect “would kill family and officers when they arrived,” Indio police spokesman Ben Guitron later told media.
When officers arrived at the scene they found “the man of the house” outside the home waiting for officers with a rifle in hands.
As officers tried to calm and disarm the man, officials used unspecified “less-lethal” weapons after the alleged suspect refused to follow their commands or drop his rifle.
Guitron reported that was when at least one officer opened fire, striking the suspect in the shoulder. After being shot, the suspect ran back into his home, only to come back out moments later. At that point, a police K-9 was deployed to subdue the violent and gunshot injured man.
The suspect was treated at the scene before paramedics transported him to DRMC for further treatment of his gunshot wound.
No officers, K-9s, or other citizens were injured during the incident and the suspect’s family was found safe inside the home, according to Guitron.
Based on the circumstances, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department was summoned and requested to assume the shooting investigation. Indio Police Department will be conducting a simultaneous administrative investigation into the shooting.
During their subsequent investigation, officials recovered at least two firearms from the home, according to Guitron.
Three shootings in three weeks
This morning’s shooting was the third officer-involved shooting in as many weeks, with Indio PD officers involved in two other shootings this month that involved gun-wielding suspects.
The first of this month’s officer involved shootings happened April 10, when an officer fatally shot a robbery suspect who had fled to an apartment complex in the 81-800 block of Las Palmas Rd. after allegedly robbing a man outside a Subway restaurant.
The second shooting involving Indio PD this month happened nine days later on April 19, at MiraBella Apartments in Bermuda Dunes.
Officers were investigating an assault when they encountered the armed suspect at the complex. The suspect, later identified as Cameron Kearney, opened fire on officers who fired back at the gun-wielding man.
SEE RELATED:
Gun-wielding man fatally shot after Indio robbery
No injuries after Indio officers exchange gunfire with gun-wielding man
Nobody was injured during the shooting and Kearney was arrested and later booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer.
All three shootings are being investigated by Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, with Indio PD conducting simultaneous administrative investigations into the shootings.
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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.