Another Riverside Sheriff's Deputy Shot Dead; he had responded to a call of alleged domestic violence in Lake Elsinore

Photo: Riverside Sheriff / Courtesy

Riverside County, California, still shaken by the murder two weeks ago of one of its police elements, suffered another misfortune on Friday when another sheriff’s deputy was shot and killed.

Sheriff Darnell Calhoun was the victim in an incident that occurred in Lake Elsinore Friday afternoon when he responded to a call regarding possible domestic violence and custody of a child. He was 30 years old.

As recently as December 29, Sheriff Isaiah Cordero, 32, was fatally shot at a traffic stop in the town of Jurupa Valley. Prior to that, the Riverside Sheriff’s Department had not suffered a similar misfortune since 2003.

The attack on Sheriff Calhoun occurred after he responded to the call around 4:20 p.m. Friday in the 18500 block of Hilldale Lane. Sadly, when another bailiff arrived, he found his partner wounded on the street. He was taken to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar, where he died. shortly before 8 p.m.

“We are devastated to announce the passing of Sheriff Darnell Calhoun, who was killed in the line of duty this afternoon,” the Riverside Sheriff’s Department said on social media (Calhoun is the man on the right).

Sheriff Chad Bianco said at an evening news conference that there was an exchange of fire between the backup sheriff and the suspect, who was injured. He was hospitalized in critical condition.

Still it is unknown what happened between the arrival of Sheriff Calhoun at the house of the incident and until the other sheriff found him mortally wounded.

Calhoun had been in Riverside County for less than a year, assigned to the Lake Elsinore station after arriving from the San Diego Police Department. He was married and his wife is pregnant with the couple’s first baby.

Later, Calhoun’s body was carried from the hospital in a long procession.