UPDATE: Suspect in deadly Hemet shooting fatally shot by police

August 16, 2020 Trevor Montgomery

UPDATED: Sunday, Aug. 16, 2:30 p.m.

See Original Story, Photos and Video below.

HEMET, Calif. — Officials in Hemet say a man suspected in the fatal shooting of a 29-year-old San Jacinto man last night was fatally shot by officers after the alleged suspect confronted them while armed with a handgun after a police pursuit earlier this morning, Sunday, Aug. 16.

Officers had been searching for the suspect, identified only as a 30-year-old San Jacinto man, after officials investigating last night’s deadly shooting identified him as a possible suspect in the fatal incident.

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Officers began investigating last night’s deadly shooting after a woman called 911 to report that a male passenger inside her vehicle had possibly been shot in the head while sitting in a car parked directly adjacent Searl Park, on the 1000 block of N. Buena Vista Ave., Hemet Police Lt. Nate Miller reported after last night’s shooting.

“Following interviews and evidence collection … officers and deputies in the area began looking for (the alleged suspect) immediately,” said Miller.

Officers searching for a man suspected in last night’s fatal shooting of a 29-year-old San Jacinto man as he sat inside a parked car say they fatally shot the alleged gunman after he exited a vehicle while armed with a handgun following a dangerous pursuit early this morning. Mario Sevilla/I.E. Media Source photo

As the murder investigation was continuing this morning, at around 6 a.m. Hemet police officers spotted the homicide suspect’s vehicle in the 400 Block of N. Palm Ave.

“Officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop but the driver fled,” explained Miller; saying, “During the pursuit, the suspect led officers into San Jacinto and then ultimately back to Hemet.”

As the pursuit continued back into Hemet, the vehicle stopped in the 500 block of N. San Jacinto St., at which time “the suspect got out of the car with a gun in his hand,” explained Miller; who said, “An officer involved shooting occurred at that time.”

“The man fell to the ground and emergency medical aid was called,” Miller continued. “The man was soon pronounced deceased at the scene.”

Miller did not specify if the deceased suspect fired at officers after exiting his vehicle while armed with the handgun, but no officers were injured during the violent and deadly encounter.

In the wake of the officer involved shooting, officials established a large crime scene and numerous shell casings could be seen around about a half dozen patrol vehicles that were stacked up behind a dark colored sedan on N. San Jacinto St.

“The Hemet Police Detective Bureau is investigating the initial homicide case and the Riverside County District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation is investigating the officer involved shooting portion of this complex investigation,” Miller continued; saying, “The names of the initial victim and the deceased suspect are not being released at this time, pending notifications of next of kin.”

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

Will Whelan/Hemet Valley Incidents video below.

Original Story: Shot in head while sitting in car, man dies in Hemet

HEMET, Calif. — Authorities today are continuing their investigation into a shooting that left a man dead in Hemet last night, Saturday, Aug. 15. No suspects have been identified or located, according to officials.

The deadly shooting happened on the 1000 block of N. Buena Vista St., directly adjacent to Searl Park, between Esplanade and Fruitvale avenues.

City of Hemet Police and Fire personnel were dispatched to the scene about 9:30 p.m., after receiving a call reporting a man bleeding from his head and reports of gunshots being heard in the area, Hemet Police Lt. Nate Miller has since said of the deadly incident and ongoing investigation.

Officers interview a woman who was sitting inside a parked car last night when her passenger side window shattered and her male passenger slumped over with “a serious head injury”, officials have since said of the deadly incident. Robert Carter/Public Safety Incidents photo

When officials arrived in the area they located a red Chevrolet Impala with its passenger side window shot out and shattered.

Along with the car’s driver, officials found an unresponsive 29-year-old man with a suspected gunshot wound to his right temple.

While paramedics began performing life-saving efforts on the victim, the driver told officers that she and her male passenger were sitting in her vehicle “when the passenger side window shattered and the man slumped over”, according to Miller.

The shooting victim was initially being transported to Riverside University Health System in Moreno Valley when the ambulance was re-directed to Hemet Valley Hospital to meet with a Mercy Air Ambulance.

Although the air ambulance landed at the hospital’s helipad and was prepared to airlift the victim, he succumbed to his injuries while paramedics were still working to stabilize him and he passed away.

The name of the victim has not been released, pending further investigation and notification of the man’s family.

Investigators from the Hemet Police Detective bureau were notified and responded to the scene to assume the investigation.

Although an air ambulance was prepared to airlift the victim to a trauma center, the man succumbed to his injuries and passed away. Robert Carter/Public Safety Incidents photo

During their subsequent investigation a witness reported that a black vehicle was seen leaving the area prior to officers’ arrival, but it was not immediately known if officials determined the vehicle was involved in the deadly shooting.

“The detectives are trying to determine a motive for this tragic event as well as the exact cause of death,” said Miller.

Click any image to open full-size gallery.

Robert Carter/Public Safety Incidents photos above, video below.

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

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; 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 29 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 16 grandchildren.