Police seeking video of shooting involving off-duty officer in Southern California

Detectives in Riverside County are asking for the community’s help in a shooting investigation involving an off-duty Hemet police officer earlier this week.  

On Sept. 16, officers with the Murrieta Police Department responded to reports of a shooting in a parking lot at 39540 Murrieta Hot Springs Road at around 9:15 a.m., the department said in a post to social media.   

When police arrived at the location, they found an adult male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, along with an off-duty police officer from the city of Hemet and several witnesses to the shooting.   

A preliminary investigation found that a road-rage incident between two individuals occurred and was witnessed by the off-duty officer.  

Details are limited and it’s unclear how the road-rage incident unfolded, but police said the off-duty officer “subsequently intervened” and fired on the adult male, striking him multiple times.  

Witnesses at the scene rendered life-saving measures on the gunshot victim before paramedics arrived and rushed him to the hospital where he was listed in critical condition.   

Authorities said that a firearm was recovered at the scene, though it was unclear if that gun belonged to the off-duty officer or someone else. Police also said that the officer, who has not yet been identified, was cooperating with investigators.  

Just two days later, on Sept. 18, investigators with Murrieta PD were asking anyone with “additional footage of the incident” to come forward.  

“If you, or someone you know, has video from before, during or after the shooting, please reach out to Detective Munyer at tmunyer@murrietaca.gov,” police in a post to Facebook.  

Authorities have yet to identify the man shot, nor have they provided an update on his condition.