Press Releases

Details:

On Monday, April 27, 2020, about 11:30 p.m., deputies responded to a residence in the 18000 block of Carmela Ct, Warm Springs, regarding a report of multiple shots being fired in the area. Upon arrival deputies located a male subject, identified as Rodney Ortiz Jr., 39 years old, from Banning, in the street suffering from multiple, non-life threatening, gunshot wounds.

A homeowner reported Ortiz forced entry into his residence. The homeowner armed himself with a handgun and confronted Ortiz. The homeowner, fearing for his safety, fired at Ortiz who took off running and collapsed in the street in front of the residence. The suspect was transported to the hospital for his injuries.

During the investigation, it was discovered the suspect committed two separate vehicle burglaries in the same area prior to this incident. There were no other injuries and a safety sweep was conducted of the neighborhood.

The suspect will be charged out of custody due to him being admitted to the hospital for his injuries. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department asks anyone with information pertaining to this investigation to contact Deputy Schmidt at the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station by calling (951) 245-3300.

As a reminder, "Community Policing" involves partnerships between law enforcement and community members. Business owners and residents are encouraged to report criminal activity directly to law enforcement by calling Sheriff’s Dispatch at (951) 776-1099, or by calling 911 if the matter is an emergency.