LAPD Officer Wounded by Suspect in Riverside NR13038an

February 7, 2013

                                           Update

The officers involved in this incident have been identified as Police Officer III Cesar Chavez with 16 years, three months with the Department and Police Officer II Mario Vega with two years, 11 months with the Department.

Riverside: Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers were shot at as they followed a possible homicide suspect in Riverside.

On February 7, 2013, around 1:45 a.m., two officers from the Los Angeles Police Department were in the area of the 15 freeway and Magnolia Avenue in the Riverside area.  The officers were part of a special detail related to the search for Christopher Jordan Dorner, who is wanted by Irvine Police Department for a double homicide that occurred on February 4th.

A citizen approached the officers and directed them to a vehicle that matched that of Christopher Dorner’s metallic grey Nissan Titan pickup truck.  The officers quickly responded to where the vehicle was parked and observed an individual in the vehicle who fit the description of Dorner.  The suspect vehicle sped away, and the officers followed as the vehicle entered the 15 freeway near Magnolia Avenue.  The suspect then opened fire on the officers while they were in their vehicle, at which time an officer-involved shooting occurred.  The suspect drove away in his Nissan pickup truck and is currently being sought by LAPD and Riverside law enforcement agencies.  It is unknown if the suspect was injured during the shooting.

One officer sustained a non-life-threatening wound to the head, was treated and remained at the scene of the incident.  The LAPD Force Investigation Division responded to the incident and will conduct the officer-involved shooting investigation.  The investigation will ultimately be reviewed by the Chief of Police, Office of the Inspector General, and the Board of Police Commissioners for compliance with the Department’s use-of-force policy, which states that an officer’s use-of-force actions must be objectively reasonable.  Additionally, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Justice System Integrity Division will conduct a comprehensive review of the facts of the officer-involved shooting.

Anyone with information is asked to call LAPD’s Force Investigation Division at 213-486-5230. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247).  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477).  Tipsters may also contact Crime Stoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.” Tipsters may also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on "webtips" and follow the prompts.