'Deeply Heartbroken': Sheriff Remembers Slain RivCo Deputy

JURUPA VALLEY, CA —A Riverside County sheriff's deputy who was killed in the line of duty Thursday was an 8-year veteran of the department who had just recently taken on his dream assignment as a motorcycle officer, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said at an evening news conference.

Deputy Isaiah Cordero, 32, was fatally shot just before 2 p.m. during a traffic stop in Jurupa Valley.

The pursuit of the suspect ended in a fatal shootout on the I-15 Freeway in Riverside County, prompting a partial closure of the freeway both north and southbound.

Bianco, who said he was "deeply heartbroken" about Cordero's death, spoke briefly Thursday night about the incident, noting that the man had "learned from his mother the value of serving and helping others" and that "his goal from the day he was hired was to become a motor deputy."

Cordero, who is survived by his parents, was not married but did have a girlfriend, Bianco said.

"He was a jokester around the station and all our deputies considered him their little brother," Bianco said.

Cordero's death marks the first time a Riverside County Sheriff's Deputy has been killed in the line of duty in some 10 years, according to Bianco.

Cordero was shot by a man with an "extensive criminal history" who should not have been out on the streets, but behind bars, Bianco said.

It started with a traffic stop in the 3900 block of Golden West Avenue in the Rubidoux neighborhood of Jurupa Valley.

"As [Cordero] approached the vehicle, the suspect produced a gun and shot [him]," Bianco said.

It wasn't immediately clear what prompted the traffic stop.

A witness called 911 right after the shooting and a "massive manhunt" began, Bianco said.

Shortly thereafter, the gunman — identified as 44-year-old William Shae McKay — was spotted in San Bernardino, according to Bianco.

McKay, at the wheel of a black pickup truck, fled the area, culminating in a pursuit that traveled at least two freeways in the Riverside metropolitan area. Witnesses said that the gunman was waving at other motorists as he drove southbound on Interstate 15 with a phalanx of law enforcement vehicles from the sheriff's department and California Highway Patrol on his tail.

The sheriff said that he himself was involved in the pursuit.

The chase, which lasted about 45 minutes over at least 20 miles, came to an abrupt end on southbound I-15 at Fourth Street in Norco. The suspect's vehicle was disabled by a spike strip, but he continued to drive as sparks flew from beneath the vehicle; ultimately, he stopped along the berm. Images provided by KABC7 and other broadcasters also suggested that a sheriff's SWAT vehicle might have rammed the truck.

McKay was killed at the scene of the stop during an exchange of gunfire with law enforcement officers, none of whom were injured.

California Highway Patrol initiated a SIGAlert at 4:15 p.m. in the Eastvale area, both north and southbound I-15. Northbound traffic was halted just south of 5th Street. As of 8:45 p.m., the freeway remained closed in the area.

Streets throughout the residential area where the shooting occurred were blocked during the investigation after the shooting. Rustic Lane Elementary is on winter break, and no classes were in session at the time of the shooting.

Law enforcement lined up outside Riverside Community Hospital and saluted as the deputy's body left the building, draped in an American flag, according to footage provided by KTLA, which showed the officers form a procession to accompany the body to the coroner's office.

From Riverside Community Hospital, a large procession — an estimated four miles long with officers from varied Southland agencies — followed the hearse carrying the fallen deputy's body to the coroner's office in Perris.

On Thursday night, Bianco pointed at a failed justice system that caused the tragedy and that it "should have been prevented."

He said McKay's criminal background included a kidnapping case and that the man had also previously stabbed a California Highway Patrol canine. Bianco said the criminal recently had his "third strike."

"Instead of [sentencing McKay] to 25 to life, the judge lowered bail, allowing [him] to be released," the sheriff said.

The man failed to appear for a later court date and was arrested. But again, the same judge lowered his bail so he could be released, Bianco said.

"We would not be here if the judge had done her job," Bianco said.

The sheriff declined to name the San Bernardino County judge to whom he was referring.

More information related to what prompted the deadly traffic stop and what McKay had done or said to Cordero in the moments leading to the shooting is expected to be revealed when authorities go through body camera footage.

Cordero started with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department on May 5, 2014 as a correctional deputy and previously worked at the Riverside and Indio jails.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

City News Service contributed to this story.