2016 – Jose Gilbert Vega – Officer – Palm Springs Police Department

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End of Watch: Saturday, October 8, 2016

Police Officer Gil Vega and Police Officer Lesley Zerebny were shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance call in the 2700 block of Cypress Road shortly after noon.

A family member from the home had gone to a neighbor’s house and and stated that his son was very angry, upset and was armed. Responding officers, including Officer Vega and Officer Zerebny, arrived at the scene several minutes later. While negotiating with the suspect, who was inside the home, he suddenly opened fire on them, killing both Officer Gil Vega and Officer Zerebny and wounding a third officer.

The man then barricaded himself inside the home for approximately 12 hours. He was taken into custody by members of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department SWAT team. The subject was an admitted gang member.

Bio & Incident Details

Age: 63

Tour: 35 years

Badge # P-538

Cause: Gunfire

Weapon: Rifle; AR-15

Offender: Apprehended/in-custody

 

2016 – Lesley Zerebny – Officer – Palm Springs Police Department

 

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End of Watch: Saturday, October 8, 2016

Police Officer Lesley Zerebny and Police Officer Gil Vega were shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance call in the 2700 block of Cypress Road shortly after noon.

A family member from the home had gone to a neighbor’s house and and stated that his son was very angry and upset and was armed. Responding officers, including Officer Vega and Officer Zerebny, arrived at the scene several minutes later. While negotiating with the suspect, who was inside the home, he suddenly opened fire on them, killing both Officer Gil Vega and Officer Zerebny and wounding a third officer.

The man then barricaded himself inside the home for approximately 12 hours. He was taken into custody by members of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department SWAT team. The subject was an admitted gang member.

Officer Zerebny had served with the Palm Springs Police Department for 18 months. She was survived by her husband, who also serves in law enforcement, and 4-month-old child. Her father is a retired law enforcement officer.

Bio & Incident Details

Age: 27

Tour: 1 year, 6 months

Badge # P-524

Cause: Gunfire

Weapon: Rifle; AR-15

Offender: In custody

2013 – Gilbert Cortez – Officer – California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

Officer Gilbert Cortez and K9 Mattie were killed in an automobile accident Route 79, near San Felipe Road, in San Diego County.

Officer Cortez was part of a convoy of state corrections K9 officers who were en route to inspect the La Cima Fire Camp in a rural part of the county. His marked vehicle veered off the roadway and overturned, killing K9 Mattie. Officer Cortez was transported to a local fire station, but died before a helicopter could reach him.

Officer Cortez had served with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for 23 years and was assigned to the Southern Regional K-9 Unit. He is survived by his wife, two children, and parents.

Bio & Incident Details

Age: 46

Tour: 23 years

Badge # Not available

Cause: Automobile accident

2013 – Michael D. Crain – Officer – Riverside Police Department

Police Officer Michael Crain was shot and killed when he and his partner were ambushed as they were stopped at a red light at the intersection of Magnolia Avenue and Arlington Avenue at about 1:30 am. A subject opened fire on their patrol car, fatally wounding Officer Crain and severely wounding his partner.

The officers were ambushed by an ex-Los Angeles Police Department officer who had been fired in 2008. Several days earlier the subject had murdered Public Safety Officer Keith Lawrence, of the University of Southern California Department of Public Safety, and his fiancee. His fiancee was the daughter of an LAPD captain who had been involved in the personnel review that led to his firing. It is believed that the subject had researched Officer Lawrence’s background as a law enforcement officer prior to ambushing and murdering them. The subject then posted an online manifesto admitting to the murders and stated he would seek revenge on other officials involved with his personnel review and dismissal from the department.

Shortly before Officer Crain and his partner were shot, the subject shot and wounded an LAPD officer in Corona who was on a protective detail as a result of the threats made by the subject.

On Tuesday, February 12th, 2013, the subject was located in San Bernardino County by game wardens with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. After a shootout the subject fled to a nearby cabin and became engaged in a prolonged shootout with members of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Detective Jeremiah MacKay was fatally wounded and another was seriously wounded.

The subject committed suicide after the cabin he was barricaded in became engulfed in flames.

Officer Crain was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Riverside Police Department for 11 years. He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

Bio & Incident Details:

Age: 34

Tour: 11 years

Badge #1226

Military veteran

Cause: Gunfire

Weapon: Gun; Unknown type

Offender: Committed suicide

2009 – Trena Renee McLaughlin – Supervisory Agent – United States Border Patrol

Supervisory Agent Rena R. McLaughlin

Biographical Info:

Born: Unknown
Age: 59
Tour of Duty: 18 years

Badge Number:  Unknown

Incident Details:Cause of Death: Toxin Exposure (Needle Stick During Search)
Date of Incident: July 14, 1994
Weapon Used: None.
Suspect Info: Not available

Supervisory Agent Trena R. Mc Laughlin died as the result of Hepatitis C, which she had contracted after being stuck by a syringe while searching a vehicle.

On July 14, 1994, she was searching a vehicle at the United States Border Patrol’s Temecula Station in Riverside County, California, when her hand came in contact with a hidden syringe and was exposed. She later tested positive for Hepatitis C in 1998, and medically retired from the Border Patrol in 2002. She died as a result of this disease on September 14, 2009.

Agent McLaughlin had served with the United States Border Patrol for 18 years. She was 59 years old.

Agent McLaughlin was added to the downtown Riverside “Safe In His Arms” Memorial in 2012.