RIVERSIDE, Calif. —
A fatal officer-involved shooting by San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies in a crowded retail parking lot Thursday morning has triggered an investigation by the California Department of Justice, signaling that the deceased suspect may have been unarmed.
The shooting occurred at approximately 10 a.m. in the 3700 block of Tyler Street, a major commercial corridor anchored by the Galleria at Tyler. Members of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (SBSD) Specialized Enforcement Detail (SED) were attempting to apprehend a suspect wanted on a felony arrest warrant when the lethal encounter took place.
The suspect, whose identity has not been released pending notification of next of kin, was pronounced deceased at the scene. No deputies were injured during the incident.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced late Thursday that the state Department of Justice would assume the lead role in the investigation pursuant to Assembly Bill 1506. This statute mandates state intervention only when an officer-involved shooting results in the death of a civilian who is unarmed.
