Suicidal and caught breaking into Wildomar home, rifle-wielding man fatally shot by deputy

WILDOMAR, Calif., — Authorities say a rifle-wielding man, who told emergency dispatchers that he was suicidal before opening fire in the back yard of a home he was trying to break into, was fatally shot by a deputy who was one of many who responded to the priority call Sunday afternoon, Jan. 2.

The deadly shooting happened outside a private residence in the 34600 block of Orange Street in the city of Wildomar.

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Deputies from the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station were dispatched to the home around 1:30 p.m. after receiving a 911 call from a man who told emergency dispatchers that he was in possession of a rifle and wanted to kill himself, Riverside Sheriff’s Correctional Sergeant Deanna Pecoraro has since said of the fatal encounter. 

The man, whose name has not been released pending notification of his family, also told dispatchers he was trying to make contact with the occupant of the home, according to Pecoraro; who said, “During that time, dispatch advised that the occupant was inside the residence, fearing for their life and unable to safely leave.”

Responding to the area to assist patrol deputies who were still en route to the location, a Riverside County Sheriff’s Aviation Unit arrived overhead in a helicopter and quickly located the suspect in possession of a rifle who was trying to pry open the door of the residence. 

Before deputies arrived, they received updated information that shots had been fired by the rifle-wielding man and when patrol deputies arrived they found he was still armed with the rifle he had just been firing, Pecoraro described; saying, “At that time, a deputy-involved shooting occurred.”

In the chaotic moments immediately after the shooting, deputies began life-saving efforts and summoned emergency medical personnel to the home.

“CalFire and AMR arrived on scene and after multiple attempts at life-saving measures, the suspect was ultimately pronounced deceased on scene,” Pecorora continued.

No deputies or other citizens were injured in the shooting and the home’s occupant was found safe and unharmed.

The involved deputy, whose name has not yet been released, was placed on administrative leave per Department policy, while the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting are reviewed.

An Investigator from the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office will lead this investigation, aided by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Force Investigations Detail and their investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact District Attorney Investigator Carranza at (951) 955-2777 or Investigator Dickey at (951) 955-2777. Callers can refer to incident file number WI220020013 and can remain anonymous.

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, 50, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS).

Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.

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.