Deadly Murrieta Deputy-Involved Shooting Prompted By Man With Gun

MURRIETA, CA — A man who fled from authorities and led them on a chase throughout parts of Southwest Riverside County on Thursday morning was shot and killed after he fired a gun at police, the sheriff's department says.

It all started around 8:45 a.m. in 31000 block of Borega Road in French Valley, which is near Pourroy and Murrieta Hot Springs roads, according to a news release from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

Deputies were called out to the area "for a report of a male who brandished a gun and was possibly under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol."

When officials soon spotted in a white Ford pickup truck, deputies tried to pull him over. He did not stop, official said.

"Deputies pursued the suspect and made various attempts to get him to surrender, which were unsuccessful," the sheriff's department said. "At one point during the pursuit deputies saw the suspect with the gun."

The ensuing pursuit led Murrieta police to first close down part of Murrieta Hot Springs Road, between Margarita and Winchester roads, where on-scene reports indicate the driver may have briefly stopped. However, as the situation continued to unfold and the driver again fled across town, over to the area of Jefferson Avenue and Grizzly Ridge Drive.

That's when sheriff's officials say the Murrieta Police Department used an armored vehicle to disable the man's truck on Jefferson Avenue just after 10 a.m.

"The suspect fired at deputies striking several police vehicles," the sheriff's department said. "A deputy involved shooting occurred and the suspect was struck."

The man, who has yet to be publicly identified, died at the scene. No other injuries were reported.

Police say they found a gun near him.

Both the Murrieta Police Department and Riverside County Sheriff's Department are investigating the case.