Two suspects have been arrested following a string of shootings targeting law enforcement officers in Riverside County, sheriff's officials said Tuesday.
Andre Sanchez and David Moreno were taken into custody on suspicion of attempted murder of a police officer, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said.
The first shooting took place Saturday night during a San Jacinto police pursuit of a driver who had allegedly brandished a firearm. The driver shot the officer's cruiser several times with a high-powered assault rifle, forcing the patrol car to stop, sheriff's deputies said.
The driver was able to get away, but crashed into a house. The driver got out from the vehicle and ran away. Investigators said they recovered an assault rifle near the crash.
On Monday night, a sheriff's deputy assigned to the Hemet Sheriff's Station began pursuing a red Dodge pickup truck in connection with a report of a shooting. During the pursuit, occupants of the truck shot at the patrol car through a rear window, investigators said. The deputy was not hurt.
The occupants of the truck eventually ditched the vehicle and ran into a house on the Soboba Reservation, where they were driven away by a resident, investigators said. After a brief pursuit, they fled to a nearby neighborhood. A SWAT team found them hiding a short time later.
Deputies said one of the subjects was also a person of interest in an attempt homicide on peace officer, which had taken place the night before, Sunday. During that incident, someone inside a car being pursued fired several rounds from an assault rifle, hitting the patrol car.
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After interviewing several people and processing evidence, Sanchez and Moreno were arrested. They were being booked at the Riverside County Sheriff Jail.
Some San Jacinto residents say crime in their community has worsen.
"It's been bad," resident Irene Otero said. "I'm afraid to go out at night. After about 7 or 8 p.m. I won't come outside."
The mayor of San Jacinto, who lives near where one of the shootings took place, said the shooter was able to get away because the police department is understaffed.
The city is dealing with an estimated $5 million-budget deficit. Parks have been closed and dramatic cuts have been made to its police and fire departments, which may explain why crime is up 40 percent.
"We're at about 66 percent staffing right now for law enforcement,” said San Jacinto City Councilman Andrew Kotyuk.
The mayor hopes residents approve a utility tax in May called Measure A. She says it will help solve the city's financial problems.
