Videos Sought Of Off-Duty Cop's Shooting Of Man In Murrieta

MURRIETA, CA — Detectives are looking for witnesses with footage that captured what investigators believe was an off-duty Hemet police officer's shooting of a man in Murrieta on Monday morning.

Police arrived at a strip mall parking lot at 39540 Murrieta Hot Springs Road a few minutes after 9 a.m. Monday to investigate reports of a shooting, officials said. Officers found a man with multiple gunshot wounds, and he was treated by medics at the scene and rushed to a local hospital in critical condition.

Police said an off-duty officer from Hemet was among the witnesses at the scene, and an initial investigation suggested he had "intervened" in a road rage incident between two other people before firing his weapon, leaving one man critically wounded.

No other injuries were reported, and police said the Hemet officer was cooperating with the investigation. A handgun was recovered at the scene.

On Wednesday, the police department asked that anyone with footage that could help shed light on the moments before, during or after the shooting reach out to detectives via e-mail.

The Murrieta Police Department is investigating the incident under Riverside County's Force Investigation Detail, working alongside partners at the district attorney's office and sheriff's office. The DA's office will complete an independent review of the shooting.

Patch staffer Toni McAllister contributed to this report.