UPDATE: Suspect Shot Dead At I-10 Off-Ramp In North Palm Springs

Palm Desert CA

14 October, 2021

12:43 PM

Description

NORTH PALM SPRINGS, CA — A suspect who allegedly fired on a Banning police officer early Thursday morning before fleeing east on Interstate 10 was killed by law enforcement gunfire in North Palm Springs, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department confirmed. The man's name has not been released pending notification of next of kin. The incident began around 12:24 a.m. when a Banning police officer was shot at by the man during a traffic stop off state Highway 243 in Banning, according to the sheriff's department. The gunfire missed the officer but struck the police vehicle and disabled it. A call went out to local law enforcement agencies that the shooting suspect fled in an older model green wagon. The vehicle was eventually spotted heading east on Interstate 10 by Beaumont police who began a freeway chase with sheriff's deputies in tow. "The suspect shot several times at Beaumont police officers, who were behind him during the pursuit," the sheriff's department reported. Palm Springs police were notified that the chase was headed their way so they too joined the effort. The suspect eventually exited the freeway on North Indian Canyon Drive and stopped his vehicle on the offramp. "At that time, a deputy/officer-involved shooting occurred," according to the sheriff's department. The man died from his wounds inside his vehicle. A rifle was found near his body, the sheriff's department reported. Shortly after 8 a.m., the sheriff's department and the Palm Springs Police Department notified the public of the shooting. "We are at the scene of a deputy/officer shooting which occurred at the end of a pursuit. One suspect deceased, no others outstanding. There is no threat to the public," the sheriff's department posted on social media. "PSPD officers were also involved in the incident on the freeway this morning," Palm Spring police said. No deputies or officers were injured during the chase or shooting, the sheriff's department said. It's unclear how many bullets struck the suspect and which agency personnel fired them, but the sheriff's department confirmed that its deputies, along with Beaumont and Palm Springs police, were involved in the shooting. "The involved deputies and officers will be placed on administrative leave per their department policy. The names of the involved deputies/officers will not be released at this time," the sheriff's department said. An investigator from the Riverside County District Attorney's Office will lead an investigation into the fatal shooting, aided by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department Force Investigations Detail, according to the sheriff's department. Investigators were on scene for several hours at the eastbound Interstate 10/Indian Canyon Drive off-ramp, the sheriff's department said. Eastbound I-10 was closed, between state Route 62 and Indian Canyon Drive, but reopened as per a public alert issued by Caltrans just after 8 a.m. Shortly after 11 a.m., the agency said the eastbound I-10 EB #4 lane remained closed from Garnet Avenue to Indian Canyon Road, and the Indian Canyon Road freeway offramp was still closed. State Route 243 from Twin Pines to Smith Creek was also closed in both directions, but shortly after 11 a.m. Caltrans reported all lanes were clear. ORIGINAL POST: NORTH PALM SPRINGS, CA — A deputy/officer-involved shooting Thursday morning in North Palm Springs has left one suspect dead, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. Shortly after 8 a.m., the sheriff's department and the Palm Springs Police Department notified the public of the shooting that occurred at the eastbound Interstate 10/Indian Canyon Drive off-ramp. Both agencies were involved in the shooting but it's not clear which fired the deadly shot(s). "We are at the scene of a deputy/officer shooting which occurred at the end of a pursuit. One suspect deceased, no others outstanding. There is no threat to the public," the sheriff's department posted on social media. "PSPD officers were also involved in the incident on the freeway this morning," Palm Spring police said. Investigators will be on scene for several hours at the eastbound Interstate, Indian Canyon Drive off-ramp, the sheriff's department said. Eastbound I-10 was closed between state Route 62 and Indian Canyon Drive but has since reopened as per a public alert issued by Caltrans at 8:10 a.m. State Route 243 from Twin Pines to Smith Creek remains closed in both directions and the I-10 eastbound fourth lane from Garnet Road to Indian Canyon, as well as the Indian Canyon Drive off-ramp, remained closed per the most recent Caltrans alert. There was no word on what initiated the police chase nor the suspect's identity. Check back for updates.