An investigation continued on Thursday following a deputy-involved shooting in Chino Hills. The incident took place on Wednesday night when a kidnapping suspect fatally shot a victim during a traffic stop, just before deputies returned fire. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department reported that deputies were responding to calls about gunfire and cries for assistance. They stopped the vehicle without immediately realizing it was part of an ongoing kidnapping.
The victim and the driver were found dead at the scene, while another suspect was taken into custody. Authorities are examining the relationship between the suspects and the victim and the motives behind the attack. The suspect had initially shot the victim before placing them in the trunk of the car and then shot them again during the traffic stop.
Deputies arrived at the 2000 block of Monteverde Drive at approximately 10:15 p.m. after receiving reports of gunshots and someone yelling for help. Gloria Orejel, the public information officer, stated that the victim had been shot by the kidnappers outside their home, who then forced the victim into the car’s trunk.
When deputies noticed the suspect’s car, they initiated a traffic stop, unaware of the potential kidnapping situation. The deputies instructed the occupants to exit the vehicle. According to Orejel, the passenger complied with the directive. However, the driver exited the car and fired a shot into the trunk where the victim was confined, prompting deputies to shoot the driver.
Both the driver and the victim in the trunk were declared deceased at the scene. Information about the victim’s identity and relationship with the suspects remains under investigation.