Dozens of police vehicles chased the suspect in a shooting of a deputy sheriff on California’s I-15 freeway on Thursday.
Authorities said the incident began around 2 p.m when an armed man opened fire at Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy Isaiah Cordero in Jurupa Valley during a traffic stop, fatally wounding him, according to The Desert Sun.
A witness to the shooting called 911, sparking the manhunt, according to the report.
Video of the pursuit reveals a massive group of police chasing the suspect.
?#BREAKING: Multiple Units are on a massive police chase after a sheriff’s deputy was shot to death
?#JurupaValley l #CA
⁰Currently from earlier there was a massive police chase going on with the suspect after he shot and killed a Riverside County Sheriff’s deputy to death pic.twitter.com/86Ggvy624o— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) December 30, 2022
The chase of the suspect proceeded through both Riverside and San Bernardino counties, according to KTLA-TV.
The suspect died amid gunfire from police at the end of the chase.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said the man opened fire at the police pursuing him before being neutralized, according to KTLA.
Massive entourage of law enforcement vehicles chased a murder suspect after Riverside County sheriff’s deputy was killed in a shooting in Jurupa Valley. The suspect also died following the chase, which ended with gunshots on the 15 Freeway https://t.co/Wy9cfy01lx pic.twitter.com/9GBu17KOll
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) December 30, 2022
A massive impromptu memorial procession of law enforcement traveled through Riverside County the night of Cordero’s killing.
?#BREAKING: Over mile long Procession is underway for County Sheriff that was shot to death
?#Riverside | #CA
Happening now more than 100+ units are currently in a procession for a fallen Riverside County Sheriff that was killed in the line of duty causing a massive pursuit pic.twitter.com/Lc92vMis5m
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) December 30, 2022
Bianco identified the deceased suspect as 44-year old William Shae McKay, according to KTLA.
He indicated that McKay has an extensive criminal history with convictions of kidnapping, robbery and multiple assaults.
McKay was spared a prison sentence of 25 years to life by a California judge after a third felony conviction earlier this year, according to Bianco.
“This terrible tragedy should have been prevented by the legal system,” the sheriff said of Cordero’s murder.
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“We would not be here today if the judge had done her job.”
McKay had been convicted of felony false imprisonment, evading a police officer and making criminal threats in November, according to the Desert Sun.
It wasn’t immediately clear which judge the sheriff was referring to.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.