A Riverside County sheriff’s deputy on Tuesday, June 11, shot to death a woman who the department said was aiding a man in a fight for that deputy’s gun in Corona.
The woman was taken to a hospital, where she died, a sheriff’s news release said.
The deputy was hospitalized with what were described as moderate injuries. He was later released, said Sgt Wenndy Brito-Gonzalez, a sheriff’s spokeswoman.
The woman involved was not immediately publicly identified.
On Tuesday night, the Sheriff’s Department identified the male suspect as Eric Nourani, 33, who officials said sustained minor injuries.
The Sheriff’s Department said Nourani, a San Diego County resident, was booked on suspicion of murder, attempted murder of a peace officer, mayhem and resisting an officer with violence.
The confrontation happened around 1:10 a.m. when a deputy tried to talk to several people who were in the 1000 block of West 6th Street, a business district.
They ran, and the deputy chased them.
“When the deputy turned the corner of a building, a male suspect lunged at him, and a fight ensued,” the release said.
“While the deputy was engaged in a struggle with the male suspect, a female began assaulting the deputy, and a deputy-involved shooting occurred,” it continued. “The female suspect was struck by gunfire.
“The deputy continued to fight off the male suspect, who was attempting to take his firearm, until good Samaritans arrived and assisted in detaining the male suspect,” the news release said.
Brito-Gonzalez declined to say why the deputy wanted to speak to the people or provide more details on how the good Samaritans assisted.
The deputy will be placed on paid administrative leave per department policy.
The state Department of Justice will lead the shooting investigation, the news release said. State law requires that agency to probe police killings of unarmed civilians.
