A Riverside County sheriff’s officer was shot and murdered by a career criminal on Thursday while attempting to make a traffic stop in Jurupa Valley, according to officials. During a traffic stop in California, a deputy was fatally shot.
The shooter was also killed after a chase through Riverside County concluded with gunshots on the 15 Freeway. The deputy was identified as Isaiah Cordero, 32, who had been with the department since 2014 but had only recently finished his motorcycle enforcement training.
Sheriff Chad Bianco described him as a “jokester” around the station. “And all of our deputies thought upon him as their little brother.” A Riverside County sheriff’s deputy was killed in a shooting in Jurupa Valley, and the suspect was also killed after a chase.
Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Isaiah Cordero was shot and murdered in the line of duty on December 29, 2022. “We are grieved by the loss of Deputy Isaiah Cordero, a deputy who was a bright spot in the Riverside Sheriff’s Department and dedicated to safeguarding others.
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Once again, we are confronted with a heartbreaking reminder of the selflessness and unshakable courage that peace officers and their families must exhibit.” “Deputy Cordero donned his uniform on a daily basis in order to make a difference in his community and keep families safe.
Deputy Cordero’s passing has left a huge void in the hearts of so many people who had the opportunity to know him personally. Deputy Cordero made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty today, a debt that will never be paid back. Through our words and actions, we must respect his memory and life of public service. During this sad time, our hearts go out to his family, friends, and fellow deputies.”
The officer was taken to Riverside Community Hospital following the gunshot in the Rubidoux neighborhood of Jurupa Valley, according to a Riverside Fire Department spokesperson. Several law enforcement vehicles, several of which were motorcycles, gathered outside the hospital to lead the murdered deputy’s body to the coroner’s office in Perris.
Authorities identified a suspect and pursued him in a pickup truck over various motorways in Riverside County. Hundreds of police enforcement cars were seen close behind the pickup as it fled at speeds of 45-50 mph.
The chase ended near Norco under the 5th Street overpass on the northbound 15 Freeway, where the suspect fled across the 60 and 15 motorways. During the chase, witnesses said they saw the guy reportedly flashing a gun at other vehicles.
In the end, the truck was jammed on the embankment by a police enforcement bearcat on the motorway shoulder. The guy was presumably killed after at least two shots were fired through the pickup truck’s front window.
What happened during the shoot Deputy Cordero, who had only completed motorcycle training in September, attempted to pull down a suspect on a traffic infraction near Rubidoux on the 3900 block of Goldenwest Avenue at 2 p.m., according to Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.
As Cordero approached the vehicle, the suspect opened fire, striking the deputy and fleeing. A witness in the area dialed 911 and attempted to help the injured deputy until help came. Despite being taken to a local trauma facility, it was evident the wounds were lethal, and he was soon pronounced dead, according to Bianco.
Cordero began working for the department in 2014 as a correctional deputy. In early 2018, he began his basic academy training and was elevated to the sworn deputy. He finished motor school in September of this year and was assigned to vehicle enforcement duties, which had been his aim since the day he was employed, according to Bianco.
What we already know about the suspect. William Shae McKay, 44, was identified as the suspect, and his last known residence was in San Bernardino County. McKay has a lengthy criminal past stretching back more than 20 years, according to Bianco, including kidnapping, robbery, multiple assaults with a lethal weapon, and involvement in one event that culminated in the stabbing of a CHP K-9.
“The judicial system should have prevented this horrific tragedy,” Bianco added. McKay should have been imprisoned for more than 25 years for his most recent violation in 2021, according to Bianco. Instead, he claimed, the judge reduced his bond, allowing him to walk the streets. He was detained for the second time for failing to appear at his sentencing. He did not name the judge, but did say, “We would not be here today if the judge had done her job.”