A Los Angeles Times kidnapping suspect was shot and killed by San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies late Wednesday after opening a car trunk and shooting his already wounded captive a second time. The chaotic confrontation followed a pursuit that ended on Wandering Ridge Drive, concluding an incident that began on Monteverde Drive.
Monteverde Drive Kidnapping Leads to High-Speed Pursuit
The violent sequence began shortly after 10 p.m. on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, when deputies with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department responded to the 2000 block of Monteverde Drive in Chino Hills following reports of gunfire and someone screaming for help. According to public information officer Gloria Orejel, a homeowner was attacked outside their residence and shot by two suspects before being forced into the trunk of a gray Nissan Altima bearing Oregon plates.
As deputies arrived at the initial neighborhood scene, they spotted the suspect vehicle and attempted a traffic stop, prompting a brief pursuit that traveled about a mile and a half away.
Confrontation on Wandering Ridge Drive and Fatal Deputy Shootout
The pursuit came to an end in a residential neighborhood near Gemstone Court and Wandering Ridge Drive, where surveillance video captured the Nissan Altima slowly coming to a halt as deputies surrounded it. Officers ordered the two occupants out of the car. While the passenger complied with commands and exited with hands raised, the driver took a different, fatal course of action.
The driver stepped out from the driver’s side, walked directly to the open trunk of the vehicle, and fired a shot straight inside toward the captive. Deputies immediately opened fire, striking the driver. Despite lifesaving measures performed at the scene, both the driver and the victim inside the trunk were pronounced dead.
“The passenger did comply. However, the driver exited the vehicle, approached the trunk of the suspect vehicle and fired a shot into a victim that was inside the trunk.”
Gloria Orejel, Public Information Officer, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department
The second suspect was taken into custody without injury, while no deputies were harmed during the exchange. Law enforcement officials have not yet released the identities, ages, or genders of the victim, the passenger, or the deceased driver, leaving questions about their relationships and potential motives under active investigation.
Ongoing Investigation Across Chino Hills Crime Scenes
Homicide detectives from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department are actively processing both crime scenes — spanning from Monteverde Drive to the final stop on Wandering Ridge Drive — alongside assistance from the Chino Police Department. Authorities are reviewing local surveillance footage and gathering witness statements to clarify whether the victim died from the initial gunshot wound sustained at the home or from the subsequent shot fired into the trunk.
Law enforcement has confirmed that there are no outstanding suspects and no ongoing threat to the community. However, residents can expect a continued law enforcement presence in the area as the investigation remains ongoing.
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