RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — The Riverside Police Department has released new information about a fatal officer-involved shooting that took place on Wednesday. The incident occurred in the La Sierra neighborhood of Riverside at around 1:48 a.m. Police were responding to a report of an occupied vehicle in an apartment driveway on Banbury Drive. During the encounter, the suspect driver, identified as 26-year-old Ryan Joseph Smith from San Bernardino, brandished a firearm, leading to the officer firing their weapon. Smith was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The police department confirmed that a firearm was recovered at the scene, and thankfully, no officers were harmed.
This incident marks the second officer-involved shooting in Riverside County within a span of less than 12 hours. The first shooting occurred around 10:38 p.m. the previous day in Hemet. An on-duty deputy from the Hemet Sheriff’s Station was fueling his patrol vehicle at a business on Meridian Street and Florida Avenue when he noticed an individual on the sidewalk holding a handgun. Despite the deputy’s commands, the suspect continued to handle the weapon, prompting the deputy to fire their weapon. The deputy was unharmed, and the suspect received medical assistance before being transported to a local hospital. Unfortunately, there are no updates on the suspect’s condition at this time.
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Both incidents are under investigation by various law enforcement agencies, including the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, and the Riverside Police Department. The deputy involved in the Hemet shooting will be placed on paid administrative leave while the investigation unfolds. The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office and the California Highway Patrol will lead the investigation into the Hemet shooting.
Further details regarding these incidents have not been released. The community awaits more information as authorities work diligently to uncover the facts surrounding these officer-involved shootings.
