Chino Hills kidnapper kills victim in front of deputies, officials say
Chino Hills kidnapping suspect kills victim: Officials
A kidnapped shooting victim was found dead in a car trunk after a police chase and deputy-involved shooting in Chino Hills.
CHINO HILLS, Calif. - A body was found inside the trunk of a car following a pursuit and shooting involving deputies in Chino Hills Wednesday night.
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department homicide investigators are currently working to piece together the sequence of events across two crime scenes located about a mile and a half apart.
What we know:
The investigation began just after 10 p.m. Wednesday when deputies received reports of shots fired and someone screaming for help in the 2100 block of Monteverde Drive in Chino Hills.
According to San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer Gloria Orejel, the victim was shot at the Monteverde Drive location and kidnapped by the suspects, who put the victim inside the trunk of the suspect's gray Nissan Altima.
Deputies fatally shoot suspect after he shoots person in car trunk
A kidnapped shooting victim was found dead in a car trunk following a police pursuit and deputy-involved shooting in Chino Hills late Wednesday night.
The suspects then took off, leading deputies on a pursuit that ended near Gemstone Court and Wandering Ridge Drive, about a mile and a half from the original scene, authorities said.
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Surveillance video from the end of the pursuit shows the vehicle slowly coming to a stop as deputies surrounded it. One person exited the passenger side with their hands raised and complied with orders.
But moments later, the driver exited from the driver's side, approached the open trunk of the vehicle, and fired a shot directly inside, authorities said. Deputies opened fire, striking the driver.
Authorities give update after body found in car trunk in Chino Hills
A body was discovered in a car trunk following a Chino Hills police pursuit and deputy-involved shooting spanning two crime scenes.
Despite deputies performing lifesaving measures, both the driver and the victim inside the trunk died at the scene.
The passenger was taken into custody uninjured.
What they're saying:
Neighbors near the Monteverde Drive scene noted that several home burglaries had previously occurred in the area with security alarms disabled.
Residents also reported that the homeowner’s electricity had been cut off prior to the incident, prompting them to check outside before being attacked. Multiple sources reported the victim was a homeowner in the neighborhood.
"They put whoever they put in the car, and they took off real fast and they hit the curb right there," a neighbor off Monteverde Dr. told FOX 11. "I've been here since '91 and it's the first I've ever heard of something like this," the man said.
"The motive for this incident is still under investigation," San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Dept. Public Information Officer, Gloria Orejel said Thursday morning. "I don't know what the relation is between the suspects and the victim, if any, but again that will be provided a little bit later."
What we don't know:
The Sheriff’s Department has not yet released the identities, ages, or gender of the victim, the deceased driver, or the passenger taken into custody.
Authorities have not determined a motive or whether the victim and suspects knew one another.
It's unclear if anyone else was inside the Monteverde Drive home or if the power outage was directly linked to the break-in.
Officials have not confirmed whether the victim died from the initial gunshot wound on Monteverde Drive or the subsequent shot fired into the trunk.
What's next:
Homicide detectives from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department are continuing to process both crime scenes, review local surveillance video, and gather witness statements.
The Chino Police Department is assisting in the ongoing investigation.
The Source: This report is based on information provided by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, including an on-scene press briefing conducted by Public Information Officer Gloria Orejell. Additional details were gathered from neighborhood surveillance video, and eyewitness statements from residents near the Monteverde Drive crime scene.