Riverside County Sheriff's Department releases video footage of deputy-involved shooting in Hemet

Newly released footage from a deputy- and-officer-involved shooting in January shows a man fleeing from deputies and officers in a Hemet motel parking lot, and law enforcement personnel opening fire and fatally shooting the man.Show more

Joseph Tracy IV, 20, of Colton was fatally shot in the 2600 block of West Florida Avenue in Hemet on Jan. 18. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department released body cam footage from the incident in an edited YouTube video uploaded on Wednesday. It is narrated by Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.

The shooting involved the sheriff's department, the Riverside Police Department and the Hemet Police Department, Bianco said in the video.

Bianco said the Riverside County Gang Impact Team had received information that Tracy, who was on probation, had a handgun and was selling fentanyl. He said the team attempted to contact Tracy around 11:36 p.m., and then waited for him to leave the motel. When he exited the motel, Bianco said they attempted to detain him, but he ran from deputies and officers.

Body-worn camera footage appears to show Tracy running and then hiding between cars in the parking lot. Officers can be heard saying "hands, hands, let me see your hands" and "he's reaching. I don't know what he's reaching for" amid a series of loud bangs, at least some of which are gunshots.

Tracy was struck by gunfire and died at the scene, Bianco said.

The department said a 9mm semi-automatic gun without a serial number — a so-called ghost gun — and pulse taser were recovered at the scene. A white-powder substance that tested positive for fentanyl was found at his motel room, Bianco said.

The California Department of Justice is investigating the shooting — marking the first time a new law providing state-level oversight of officer-involved shootings has been deployed in Riverside County.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the investigation on Jan. 25, a week after the shooting occurred. The announcement comes after the July 1, 2021, enactment of Assembly Bill 1506, which requires state prosecutors to investigate all officer-involved shootings that result in the death of an unarmed civilian in California.
--------------------
Keep me motivated by donating to https://paypal.me/thisisbutter

Viewer discretion is always advised when watching this video or any others videos. I do not take any responsibility for your trauma, psychological and/or mental harm.

I do not recommend anyone to attempt, act/reproduce, and/or create hate from what you see in this video or any other videos.

Enjoy.