Corona PD Officer-Involved Shooting
CORONA (CNS) – California state prosecutors Wednesday announced the start of an investigation into a deadly officer-involved shooting that occurred in downtown Corona, where patrol personnel opened fire on a man allegedly wielding a tire iron that he was using to bash vehicles.
“Once aware of the incident, the Department of Justice’s California Police Shooting Investigation Team initiated an investigation in accordance with Assembly Bill 1506 mandates,” according to a statement released by Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office. “Upon completion of the investigation, it will be turned over to DOJ’s Special Prosecutions Section within the Criminal Law Division for independent review.”
Investigations can span anywhere from a few months to a year.
AB 1506 took effect in 2021 and requires independent investigations of “incidents where an officer-involved shooting resulted in the death of an unarmed civilian.”
“AB 1506 provides DOJ with an important tool to directly help build and maintain trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve by creating a mandate for an independent statewide prosecutor … to investigate and review officer-involved shootings of unarmed civilians,” according to an agency statement.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s Force Investigations Detail is also conducting a probe, at the request of the Corona Police Department.
The shooting occurred shortly after midnight Tuesday at McKinley Street and Promenade Avenue, according to police.
Sgt. Robert Montanez said officers were called to the location after receiving reports of vandalism by a motorist armed with a “crowbar,” which turned out to be a tire iron used for removing lug nuts.
Montanez said the suspect, whose identity was not immediately released, had been involved in a possible road rage-related confrontation with another driver, allegedly resulting in him crashing into that person’s car, injuring the victim.
“Officers responded and located the subject armed with the tire iron,” the sergeant said. “The subject refused multiple commands to drop his weapon, and an officer-involved shooting subsequently occurred. The subject was struck by gunfire, and despite life-saving measures, he was pronounced deceased at the scene.”
The driver injured in the crash, also not identified by police, was taken to a regional trauma center for treatment of moderate injuries.
No police officers were injured.
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