Suspect dead after officer-involved shooting on freeway
UPDATE: Traffic is flowing normally on Interstate 10 in Palm Springs following a deadly officer-involved shooting Thursday morning.
Authorities say that a suspect shot at a Banning Police Officer after midnight today, during a traffic stop off of Highway 243 in Banning. The suspect fled the scene, but a pursuit began later after he was found driving eastbound on the 10 freeway towards Palm Springs.
The sheriff's department says he shot several times at police officers during the pursuit before he exited on North Indian Canyon Drive.
An officer-involved shooting took place after the suspect stopped his vehicle on the offramp, where he was found dead after officers approached him.
The Riverside County Sheriff's Department confirmed that the suspect is dead and there is no threat to the public at this time.
We are at the scene of a deputy / officer shooting which occurred at the end of a pursuit One suspect deceased, no others outstanding. There is no threat to the public. Investigators will be on scene for several hours eastbound Interstate 10 at the Indian Canyon Drive off-ramp.
— Riverside County Sheriff's Dept (@RSO) October 14, 2021
Currently, investigators are at the scene of the shooting taking photos of the vehicle involved.
This is a developing story.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Both sides of Interstate 10 were shut down to traffic for an incident involving a large-scale police activity in Palm Springs early Thursday morning.
A motorist at a gas station off Indian Canyon Drive and Garnet Avenue just south of the freeway says he heard gunshots.
Viewers called KESQ News Channel 3 saying westbound lanes were stopped to all traffic before the Indian Canyon Drive exit after 1:00 a.m.
By 2:00 a.m., westbound lanes reopened, but the freeway's eastbound lanes remained closed prompting the California Highway Patrol to issue a Sig Alert.
Garnet Avenue also remained shut down. As of 4:30 a.m., the freeway's eastbound lanes were closed to all traffic from State Highway 62 to Indian Canyon Drive. Eastbound traffic was being detoured off the freeway onto Highway 62 northbound and then to Dillon Road eastbound around the incident.
Another alternate route would be to take the 111 South towards Palm Springs where you can then make your way back to Interstate 10 at North Indian Canyon Drive.
News Channel 3 is working to gather more information about what happened in Palm Springs. Law enforcement units remained at the scene, just south of Interstate 10 on Indian Canyon Drive near the Jack in the Box restaurant and Pilot Travel Station.
An eyewitness told KESQ they heard dozens of gunshots in the area of Garnet and Indian Canyon.
"The helicopter told him to come out with his hands up, and I guess the guy didn’t come out with his hands up. And then there was another 20 to 30 rounds shot off, and now they got all our exits blocked off, and we are just really slow right now” said Micael Davison, nearby gas station manager.
Police have yet to confirm if a shooting actually happened.
Stay with KESQ News Channel 3 for updates and live coverage from the scene.
