New videos, details released after Eastvale hostage standoff that left deputies pinned under heavy fire
EASTVALE, Calif. — Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco on Wednesday released several video and audio clips along with new details regarding a barricaded hostage standoff and deputy-involved shooting that occurred in Eastvale early Saturday morning, Nov. 14.
In Wednesday’s Critical Incident video release, Sheriff Bianco explained that the incident, which began as an unknown trouble call and ended with the suspect being apprehended, left Riverside County sheriff’s deputies pinned under heavy fire and needing to be rescued when the suspect unleashed a barrage of gunfire at them.
The suspect’s three children, who were trapped inside the home as the gunman fired dozens of rounds at deputies were recovered safe and uninjured and later reunited with their grateful mother.
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During Wednesday’s video, (which can be viewed below), Bianco laid out the details that led to the shooting, including portions of the original 911 call that brought deputies to the home, located on the 14000 block of Alpaca Court.
During the 911 call released by Bianco, the woman, whose name has not been released, can be heard screaming in horror and pleading for her life.
“Alfredo, don’t shoot me! Don’t shoot! Put that gun down!” the woman can be heard yelling.
Moments later the victim yelled, “Please stop! Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!” as the suspect, since identified as 43-year-old, Jose Alfredo Gonzalez, roared in anger, telling her several times to turn around and face away from.
The woman continued pleading for her life, and can be heard reminding Gonzalez that their three children were sleeping inside the home
At that point Gonzalez is heard telling his wife that if he heard one more thing from her he would stab her.
“If I hear one fucking sound, I’m going to stab you. I’m going to fucking kill you,” Gonzalez yelled.
Three tactical armored rescue vehicles from Corona and Ontario police departments raced to the scene of last November’s barricaded hostage standoff after the suspect unleashed a hail of gunfire at two deputies, firing dozens of rounds at them. RSO photos
At some point, the victim managed to get out of the home, where she was met by the first two deputies to arrive at the scene.
She told deputies that Gonzalez had been drinking and was inside the couple’s house with their three children. She also told deputies that Gonzalez had multiple firearms inside the home.
Shortly after deputies arrived on scene and were speaking with the victim, they spotted Gonzalez behind a fence on the home’s side yard and saw he was armed with a handgun, according to Bianco; who said the gun-wielding man threatened the deputies before running back into his home.
“(He) was armed with a weapon and threatening the deputies,” Riverside Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Sgt. Deanna Pecoraro said in an initial release after the incident; adding that at that time deputies requested additional resources to the scene.
Video and audio footage captured by the deputies’ body-worn cameras, which was released during Wednesday’s Critical Incident update, showed that while waiting for additional deputies to arrive and while continuing to reason with Gonzalez, the deputies could see him inside the residence armed with a rifle and pointing it at them.
As the video continues, one deputy describes seeing and hearing Gonzales “racking his weapon”, preparing it to be fired as he stood in the home’s front window. Mere seconds later, Gonzalez fires the first of dozens of rounds at the deputies from the window.
After that first gunshot, deputies put out a priority call for emergency assistance, while continuing to rationalize with the man and encourage him to come out of his residence. Despite their efforts, Gonzalez refused and continued arguing with pair of deputies for another four minutes before firing another round at them; this time from an upstairs window of the home.
About thirty seconds later, as sirens can be heard converging on the location from every direction, one of the deputies decides to move to another nearby location, which offered a better view along with more tactical cover and concealment from Gonzalez.
The other deputy agrees but cautions him, saying with emphasis, “Careful. Careful.“
The video then shows that the very moment the deputy began to move from one point to the other, Gonzalez unloaded a barrage of gunfire at him, discharging a total of 22 rounds, according to Bianco.
At least one of the deputies returned fire, and can be heard calmly telling the other deputy, “I let off three rounds.”
SEE ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Pinned under heavy fire, deputies shoot Eastvale man, rescue 3 juveniles
After the exchange of gunfire and finding themselves pinned under heavy fire, deputies radioed an “11-99, Officer Needs Help” call, which was broadcast to all area law enforcement agencies.
Officers from Chino, Ontario, Corona and Riverside police departments responded to the scene to help the pinned deputies, “away from the suspect’s line of fire …and… from harm’s way,” Pecoraro had previously described.
It was also initially reported that San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and University of California Police Department – Riverside sent resources to the scene.
“Corona Police Department and Ontario Police Department arrived on scene with armored rescue vehicles,” Bianco described; adding, “With the assistance of those agencies our deputies were safely rescued from the suspect’s line of fire.”
Deputies rush toward a rifle-wielding gunman who fired two dozen rounds at two deputies, before the pair was rescued with help from three tactical armored rescue vehicles that responded from Corona and Ontario. RSO image
As the standoff continues for the next thirty minutes, a single gunshot is heard, at which time officials can be seen rushing with rifles drawn toward the front door of the home, where Gonzalez was taken into custody.
Although it is unclear in the video who fired the round, Pecoraro had previously explained, “The suspect appeared in the doorway and a second deputy involved shooting occurred,” indicating the round had been fired by one of the deputies at the scene.
After Gonzalez was apprehended the three children were found safe and uninjured and multiple weapons were later discovered and seized from the residence.
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Gonzalez was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment of what was previously described as “a non-life threatening injury.” His booking photo later showed what appeared to be some type of wound with heavy swelling to his left cheek.
After being treated at the hospital, Gonzalez was booked into Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside on suspicion of six counts of attempted murder of police officers, four counts of false imprisonment, three counts of causing willful harm to a child, inflicting corporal injury to a spouse or cohabitant, assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of making terrorist threats, and being a felon in possession of an assault weapon and large capacity magazine.
He remains in custody in lieu of $1 million bail or bond.
The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office is continuing their investigation into the shooting, with assistance from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Force Investigations Detail and Central Homicide Unit.
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Trevor Montgomery, 49, 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 30 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 18 grandchildren.
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