Authorities have identified the man suspected of fatally shooting a Riverside County sheriff’s deputy responding to a domestic violence incident on Friday afternoon.
Los Angeles Times, which cited the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, said Jesse Navarro, a 42-year-old man from Lake Elsinore allegedly shot and killed Deputy Darnell Calhoun, 30, who was responding to the call over a child custody dispute.
Man Kills Deputy Sheriff For Responding to Domestic Abuse
CBS News, citing Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco, said deputies were sent to the 18500 block of Hilldale Lane for a domestic abuse call involving a custody dispute at around 4:30 p.m. local time.
Calahoun first arrived on the scene. It’s unclear exactly what transpired next, but officials said the second officer who arrived on the scene found Calhoun wounded on the road.
Since the deputy and the suspect got into a shootout, the next officer shot the suspect.
According to reports, Calhoun sustained leg and other body injuries.
FOX 5 affiliate station KTLA said Calhoun, who began his career as a San Diego Police Department officer, was initially in serious condition after being transported to a nearby hospital before he passed away at around 8 pm local time Friday.
Navarro was also taken to the same hospital, and according to the sheriff’s office, the suspect is still in serious condition.
Other Shooting Cases
A week before Calhoun died, Deputy Isaiah Cordero was also shot to death. The suspect shot 32-year-old Cordero on December 29 in Jurupa Valley during a traffic stop.
Following a high-speed pursuit on the motorway, police shot and killed William Shea McKay, the person who allegedly killed Cordero.
Since 2003, Cordero was the first deputy from Riverside County to die in the line of duty.