Video Released Of Fatal Shooting By Deputies In La Quinta

Palm Desert CA

16 March, 2021

4:06 PM

Description

LA QUINTA, CA —Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco Tuesday released video and audio recorded around the time that a 60-year-old Indio man was gunned down by law enforcement personnel in La Quinta at the end of a chase after allegedly threatening his estranged wife. "When we have a critical incident, we want to share as much information as possible as soon as the investigation allows," Bianco said in an introduction to a five-minute narrative -- posted on the sheriff's YouTube page — concerning the Jan. 29 death of Javier Magdaleno in the area of Jefferson Street and Avenue 48. According to the sheriff's documentary-style video compilation, deputies were initially sent to a Rite Aid store at 39155 Washington St. in Thousand Palms on an assault with a deadly weapon call placed by an employee. "I'm here at Rite Aid and we have a woman who ran in the store crying and screaming that her husband is outside trying to kill her," the employee told a 911 dispatcher. The employee also told sheriff's dispatch that the woman reported her husband had a rifle in his vehicle. Deputies spotted Magdaleno at the location sitting inside a red Ford pickup truck. As they approached, he put the truck into gear and sped off, triggering a high-speed pursuit involving deputies and California Highway Patrol officers, the sheriff's department reported. The pursuit ended on Jefferson Street, north of Avenue 48, when the suspect's truck crashed into a vehicle. "He's got a rifle. He's got a rifle. He's got a rifle," a law enforcement officer yelled shortly after the crash, according to CHP dashcam footage released by the sheriff. At least 18 gunshots can then be heard — fired by a deputy and a CHP officer — in two separate bursts. Magdaleno was pronounced dead at the scene. The CHP dashcam footage does not show the suspect, and sheriff's officials did not release any footage showing his actions at the time he was fatally shot. Bianco said a .22-caliber rifle was recovered at the scene. It remains unclear if the suspect pointed the weapon at law enforcement personnel, or whether it was in his hand at the time of the shooting. "This is an ongoing investigation. What was released is all that is available," sheriff's Sgt. Albert Martinez said in response to a request for additional information. Following the shooting, the deputy and CHP officer were placed on administrative leave, which is standard practice in officer-involving shooting investigations. Their names have not been released. The Riverside County District Attorney's Office is investigating the shooting.