Newly launched footage from an October officer-involved taking pictures exhibits a man opening hearth on police throughout a site visitors cease and high-speed pursuit down Interstate 10 earlier than being fatally shot by officers in Palm Springs.
Russell Leggett Jr., 30, of Idyllwild was fatally shot on the North Indian Canyon offramp of I-10 on Oct. 14. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department reported at the time of the shooting that it was the result of a high-speed pursuit that began on Freeway 243 and included officers from a number of companies.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Division launched the physique digicam footage in an edited video posted to its YouTube web page Friday.
Sheriff Chad Bianco stated within the video that the taking pictures concerned his division and the Banning, Beaumont and Palm Springs police departments.
Leggett fired at a Banning police officer throughout a site visitors cease on Freeway 243 at 12:24 a.m. The gunfire disabled the car. The video footage exhibits the officer pull the automotive over on the winding mountain street. Quickly after, the motive force opens the door and fires a weapon on the officer.
“He shot an AR at me,” the officer tells dispatch, making reference to the kind of firearm believed to have been used.
Minutes after the taking pictures, Beaumont cops tried to cease the car close to Interstate 10, however the driver refused to cease, Bianco stated, fleeing at a “excessive price of velocity.”
Deputies joined the pursuit as the motive force continued to flee eastbound on the freeway. Beaumont police physique digicam footage exhibits the motive force firing a number of occasions at officers whereas persevering with to flee.
“He is taking pictures at us,” an unidentified Beaumont police officer stated in the footage after a number of photographs might be heard.
Palm Springs cops then joined the pursuit and the motive force pulled over on the North Indian Canyon offramp. Quickly after, officers opened hearth, Bianco stated. It is unclear which officers fired.
Footage from a minimum of three completely different officers exhibits dozens of rounds being fired on the car. Footage from a sheriff’s division helicopter exhibits the car had crashed right into a fence. The driving force might be seen hunched down within the entrance a part of the car and has what seems to be the rifle in hand at one level.
Each the sheriff’s division and the Palm Springs Police Division then used armored autos to strategy the automotive, Bianco stated, as a result of the motive force was nonetheless inside. Legget was discovered useless within the automotive. The rifle and a handgun had been discovered contained in the car. Neither weapon had serial numbers, Bianco stated.
The county’s Drive Investigation Element, a unit comprised of investigators from the DA and sheriff’s departments, is investigating the taking pictures.
Christopher Damien covers public security and the legal justice system. He might be reached at christopher.damien@desertsun.com or observe him at @chris_a_damien.
