A retired police officer who shot a suspected shoplifter in the neck
at a Riverside home improvement store is under arrest. The shooting was
reported at about 4 o'clock Saturday afternoon at the Home Depot at 33-23
Madison Street in Riverside. Initial reports indicate that the confrontation
began when a man tried to leave the store without paying for merchandise and
was stopped by a security guard. That's when the retired police officer stepped
in ... identified himself and allegedly drew a handgun.
The suspected shoplifter fled to a getaway vehicle despite being ordered to stop by the
retired officer. The retired officer then allegedly shot twice at the suspected
shoplifter ... who by then was inside his vehicle. The man was grazed in the
neck by one of the bullets ... suffered non-life threatening injuries and was
able to drive himself to a nearby medical facility for treatment.
The retired officer stayed at the scene and cooperated with
investigators ... who determined the shooting was NOT justified. He was
arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and was identified only
as having been employed by a municipal police department in Los Angeles County.
The man who was shot was expected to receive a misdemeanor citation for
shoplifting.
