- San Bernardino deputy Andrew Nunez fatally shot responding to armed threat in Rancho Cucamonga
- Suspect fled on motorcycle, reaching speeds over 240 kmph during freeway pursuit
- Pursuit ended when sheriff's vehicle rammed suspect's motorcycle, stopping the chase
A San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy was fatally shot Monday afternoon while responding to reports of an armed man threatening a woman in Rancho Cucamonga, triggering a high-speed pursuit that ended dramatically on a Southern California freeway. The officer who was killed, identified as Deputy Andrew Nunez, had served with the department for six years. According to a police release, he leaves behind a two-year-old daughter and a pregnant wife. "We're embedded in sorrow," said Sheriff Shannon Dicus at a press briefing. "Unfortunately for our department, this has happened way too often."
The confrontation began around 12:37 pm (local time) in the 12300 block of Hollyhock Drive, where Nunez and other deputies were called to intervene after reports of a man with a gun threatening a woman. According to authorities, the suspect opened fire, fatally striking Nunez before fleeing the scene on a motorcycle.
A region-wide pursuit ensued, involving multiple law enforcement agencies. The police release said that the suspect reportedly reached speeds of over 150 miles per hour (over 240 kmph) as he fled eastbound on the 210 Freeway.
Video footage released later showed an unmarked sheriff's vehicle deliberately ramming the suspect's motorcycle, throwing him to the ground and ending the chase. Officials described the manoeuvre as a "pursuit intervention technique", carried out by a narcotics deputy from the department.
#Watch | US Cop Shot Dead, Suspect Knocked Off Motorcycle In High-Speed Chasehttps://t.co/d20m5MiCPs pic.twitter.com/lxYzxKlsNh
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The suspect, who has not been publicly identified, was taken to a nearby hospital, where he remains in stable condition. Authorities say he will be booked for murder once medically cleared.
Los Angeles Times quoted Sheriff Dicus as saying that the department would focus on supporting Nunez's family and bringing the suspect to justice. "Our deputies are heartbroken," he added. "We've lost not only a colleague but a friend, a husband, and a father."
Deputy Nunez's killing marks the latest tragedy in a series of violent incidents involving law enforcement in California's Inland Empire, renewing concern over officer safety and the rising dangers of field response calls.
A memorial service for the fallen deputy is expected to be announced in the coming days.
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