Police investigate deadly ‘random shootings’ in Banning

Police are trying to determine the motive behind a deadly shooting spree in Banning Saturday.

Two people are dead and two are in the hospital after a man allegedly went on a random shooting rampage in Banning and Beaumont.

“We can’t control human emotion and impulse, but what we try to do is get out there as soon as possible to deal with the situation and control it. And if a suspect is out there shooting, then obviously take care of the threat,” said Chief of Police Alex Diaz.

The first shooting happened when the suspect took aim at a man and a woman in a parked car on John Street. The man in the driver seat died. The woman was injured. A few minutes after that a couple of blocks away the suspect shot at a car with a woman driving in it, she was only injured. Just 10 minutes after that the suspect was seen on camera assaulting a man in the parking lot of an AMPM on 22nd street. Then police were called a few blocks from there to a person who died after crashing a pickup truck into a wall and police believe it was connected.

Police worked quickly to try to catch up with the suspect.

“We have a great working relationship, not only with Beaumont, but with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department,” said Diaz. “We do have a CHP office here in the city of Beaumont and they provided the extra patrols on the freeway looking for the suspects vehicle,” said Diaz.

The suspect was finally caught a couple of miles away in Beaumont, leaving his white SUV behind. People in the neighborhood saw the arrest.

The motive of this violent crime spree is unknown.

The two people killed have not been identified.
Police have also not identified the shooter in custody, but they have gone to his house to check on his family members.