Deputy Shoots Man During Altercation In Lake Elsinore Albertsons Parking Lot

6/21 UPDATE 10:45 a.m.: According to Cpl. Courtney Donowho, spokeswoman for the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, last night's officer-involved shooting that began with a report of "domestic violence" is now being downgraded to a "domestic disturbance."

As for the condition of the suspect who was shot by a female deputy during the incident, he is "in stable condition in the hospital and is being treated for non life-threatening injuries," Donowho said.

6/21 ORIGINAL POST: An alleged domestic violence incident in an Albertsons parking lot in Lake Elsinore escalated into an altercation that resulted in one man being shot by a Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy Monday night.

The incident at the Albertsons store located at 30901 Riverside Drive at Four Corners occurred at approximately 8:40 p.m. Monday, according to Cpl. Courtney Donowho, a spokeswoman for the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

A witness, who saw a dispute between a man and a woman in the parking lot, flagged down a nearby Lake Elsinore Sheriff's Station deputy for assistance, Cpl. Donowho said.

When the female deputy confronted the pair, the man "became combative and attempted to disarm the officer," she continued.

Lake Elsinore resident Raymond Carillo, who was working at the nearby Chevron station, said he saw the altercation between the deputy and the man and tried to help.

“I think he got her baton. She got punched a few times,” he said. “I was about to jump in and a bullet whizzed past me. I felt it (the bullet) go right by (my side). I just stopped,” he said.

Cpl. Donowho said the deputy fired at the suspect and wounded him, but she could not confirm the extent of his injuries.

Carillo said it appeared the suspect was hit in the torso.

Cal Fire and American Medical Response ambulance responded to the scene and the man was transported to a local hospital.

The deputy was not injured during the altercation, according to Cpl. Donowho.

The victim of the domestic dispute was not identified by authorities, but Cpl. Donowho said she was not injured.

Carillo said the woman was the man’s mother.

“It was definitely his mom,” he said

Lake Elsinore resident Art Martinez, an employee at the nearby Del Taco restaurant, said he didn’t see anything, but he did hear shots fired.

“I was on a break outside, and I heard some loud arguing,” he said. “Then I heard a gunshot, then two more shots. I ran inside and told my boss to call 911.”

Cpl. Donowho did not confirm how many shots were fired.

Nearly a dozen witnesses were interviewed by police through the night, and the Albertsons parking lot remained taped off into the early morning hours as detectives from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department Central Homicide Unit and the Lake Elsinore Police Department assumed the investigation.

Per Department policy, the officer involved in the incident has been placed on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of the investigation.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Investigator Topete at the Lake Elsinore Police Department at 951.245.3300 or Investigator Eichelt at the Central Homicide Unit at 760.393.3500.

You can also make an anonymous tip by going to www.riversidesheriff.org/tipline and clicking on the "Homicide Tipline" on the web page.