3 Dead In Beaumont Shooting, Homicide-Suicide Suspected

UPDATE: Coroner IDs 3 People From Beaumont Murder-Suicide

BEAUMONT, CA — A total of three people are dead — two women and a man —following a shooting in a Beaumont neighborhood that prompted a massive law enforcement response and an hours-long closure in the area Friday night. The incident happened in the Fairway Canyon area of town, on Crenshaw Street.

Witnesses tell Patch the deadly incident started to unfold around 5:15 p.m. That's when a neighbor who called 911 says she heard two fast gunshots followed by one or two more. Her husband went outside to check on what was happening and found the woman on her stomach, Zarah Bernales said.

"We heard the shots and my husband right away checked outside," Bernales said. "He saw the body flat on the driveway."

Minutes later, police arrived at the scene, she said. Police say they say the woman on the ground, with an apparent gunshot wound.

"We were asked to go inside our houses initially, but maybe after about 10 minutes they were knocking on our door and asked us to leave."

Bernales and her family and those who lived in several neighboring homes were evacuated as the SWAT team arrived and attempted to contact a person or people inside the home where the shooting occurred. Video footage shows the SWAT team entered the house around 6:15 p.m., using a loud flash bang just prior.

"Officers from the Beaumont Police Department, with the assistance of Riverside County Sheriff’s Department SWAT Team, entered the residence to determine if there were additional victims in need of medical assistance," Beaumont police said Saturday. "Officers located two additional gunshot victims inside the residence, one male and one female. It has been determined the three persons were deceased prior to the arrival of officers."

Police said they do not believe there is any danger to the public related to the case.

This case will mark the first homicides in Beaumont this year.

"While the investigation is still in the early stages, the preliminary indication is this incident was a murder/suicide," police said.

The three people have not yet been identified "so it is not yet understood the relationship between them," according to police.

Anyone who may have information in the case is asked to call Beaumont Police Det. Sgt. Harris at 951-769-8500.