A kidnapping suspect executed their victim in front of San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies in Chino Hills on Wednesday night before being shot by law enforcement, officials said. The incident unfolded after deputies responded to reports of gunshots and a person yelling for help near the 2000 block of Monteverde Drive around 10:15 p.m.
According to public information officer Gloria Orejel, the victim was shot by two kidnappers, who then placed them in the trunk of a car. Deputies initiated a traffic stop on the suspect’s vehicle, unaware of the kidnapping at the time. When ordered to exit, the passenger complied, but the driver approached the trunk and fired a shot into the victim inside. Deputies then shot the driver, who was pronounced dead at the scene along with the victim.
Authorities have not released details about the connection between the suspects and the victim. Surveillance footage from a nearby home captured the moments leading up to the shooting, showing the driver opening the trunk before deputies opened fire. The sheriff’s department confirmed no threat to the public remains and no outstanding suspects are at large.
The investigation is ongoing, with a continued law enforcement presence in the area.