Off-duty Hemet police officer shoots man after witnessing road rage incident

Investigators closed portions of an intersection after an off-duty Hemet police officer shot someone near Murrieta Hot Springs Monday morning.

Investigators said the shooting occurred around 9:10 a.m. in the parking lot of a shopping center at 39540 Murrieta Hot Springs Road. Murrieta police said investigators believe two people on the property were having a temper tantrum.

The off-duty officer witnessed the altercation and intervened before opening fire, police said. He struck the man several times. An ambulance took him to the hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

Investigators found a gun at the scene. It is unclear if it belonged to the officer or the man he shot. The Hemet police officer cooperated with investigators.

A witness recorded the chaotic moments.

“All I heard was pop, pop, pop,” said Marguerite Walters. “I looked over and saw a guy holding a gun to a girl's head. She was standing between two white cars.”

Walters was driving through the parking lot when the scene unfolded.

“I just saw her fall to the ground and let out these bloodcurdling screams and I realized someone was hurt,” she said.

Although she immediately rushed to help, the police officer initially did not let her, Walters said.

“At first he said no, but then he let go of me and I went to him, lay on the floor and tried to talk to him,” she said.

Walter's teenage son, Gunnar, who was with her at the time of the incident, said the officer still had his gun drawn when she helped the victim.

“The officer still had his gun pointed at my mother, an unarmed civilian who was trying to help the guy on the ground,” he said.

A photo from the crime scene shows what appears to be a gun on the ground next to the officer's foot while he still holds his own weapon.

“I was told it was an air rifle, something like a shotgun,” Walters said. “When I was near him, there was no gun there.”

The police have yet to confirm whether the weapon is an original or a replica.

No one else was injured.