Off-duty Hemet police officer shoots a man after witnessing road rage incident
Investigators closed portions of an intersection after an off-duty Hemet police officer shot someone near Murrieta Hot Springs Monday morning.
Investigators said the shooting happened at about 9:10 a.m. in a shopping center parking lot located at 39540 Murrieta Hot Springs Road. The Murrieta Police Department said detectives believe two individuals got into a road rage incident at the property.
The off-duty officer witnessed the confrontation and intervened before opening fire, according to police. He struck the man several times. An ambulance took him to the hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
Investigators located a handgun at the scene. It's unclear if it belonged to the officer or the man he shot. The Hemet police officer cooperated with detectives.
One witness recorded the chaotic moments.
"All I heard was pop, pop, pop," said Marguerite Walters. "I looked and realized a guy was holding a gun to a girl. She was standing in between two white cars."
Walters was driving through the parking lot when the scene unfolded.
"I just saw her go to the ground and she was screaming these bloodcurdling screams and I realized somebody was hurt," she said.
Despite rushing to the area to help, Walters said that the officer initially wouldn't let her.
"At first he said no, and then he let me go and I went and go him laid on the ground and tried to talk to him," she said.
Walter's teenage son Gunnar, who was with her at the time of the incident, said that the officer still had his firearm drawn while she was helping the victim.
"The cop still had his gun pointed at my mom, an unarmed civilian trying to help this dude on the floor," he said.
A photo from the scene shows what looks to be a handgun on the ground next to the officers' foot, while he's still holding his own weapon in his hand.
"I was told it was a BB gun, like a pellet gun," Walters said. "When I was near him there was no weapon."
Police have not yet confirmed if the gun was real or a replica.
No one else was wounded.
