Suspect in fatal shooting of California deputy killed after high-speed chase
Conrad Hoyt
Video Embed
A deputy in southern California was shot and killed following a traffic stop on Thursday, and the suspect was later shot and killed by police after a high-speed chase.
Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy Isaiah Cordero, 32, stopped a vehicle at about 2 p.m. in Jurupa Valley, about 50 miles east of Los Angeles, the sheriff’s department said in a press conference later in the day. Sheriff Chad Bianco said that as Cordero approached the vehicle, the suspect, identified as 44-year-old William McKay, pulled out a gun and shot the deputy. Nearby Good Samaritans helped Cordero, but the eight-year veteran of the department later died of his wounds.
NO CHARGES FILED IN ELITE SCHOOL SEX ABUSE INVESTIGATION
Bianco said that after the shooting, McKay’s pickup truck was seen in neighboring San Bernardino County, and deputies from both counties pursued the suspect in a high-speed chase. The chase ended after McKay crashed into a car, when he then shot at deputies, who returned fire, killing him.
“Our Department would like to thank the community and our allied agencies for the outpouring show of support during this tragedy. Our hearts and prayers are with his loved ones,” the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said of Cordero.
Sheriff Bianco said McKay was no stranger to crime, with an “extensive criminal history” dating back to before 2000, including convictions for kidnapping, robbery and multiple assaults with a deadly weapon, including the stabbing of a California Highway Patrol K-9.
“This terrible tragedy should have been prevented by the legal system,” Bianco said. He claimed that if the judge had done her job in sentencing McKay to 25 years to life and not reducing his bail, the tragic death of Cordero would have been avoided.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“Our Office is saddened to learn of the death of Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy Isaiah Cordero,” said District Attorney Jason Anderson. “Our Office upheld our oath of pursuing justice by prosecuting convicted felon McKay in November of 2021, however a failure in the process to separate McKay from society and hold him accountable for his crimes has resulted in the tragic loss of a law enforcement deputy.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom responded to the shooting, saying, “Jennifer and I extend our deepest sympathies to Deputy Isaiah Cordero’s family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time. He served his community selflessly, and with dedication and courage. We owe him our respect, gratitude, and will remember his sacrifice.”