Riverside Police Department Press Release

Parole Search Leads to Officer Involved Shooting

Riverside, Ca- On Wednesday November 5, 2003 at approximately 4:15 P.M. officers from the Riverside Police Department’s Narcotics Unit went to a residence in the 10200 block of Hedrick Avenue. They received information through the WE-TIP Foundation that a resident may be selling narcotics from the house. Investigators learned that a man who is currently on parole lives at that location. They planned a parole search hoping to determine if narcotics were being sold from the residence.

When the officers arrived they contacted a female juvenile and three adult males in the front yard and driveway area. One of the men in the driveway, later identified as 34 year-old Christopher Bonilla of Riverside, ignored the officers’ repeated commands to show them his hands. He reached in his front pockets and began to throw several items on the ground. Officers later found several grams of Methamphetamine and marijuana where Bonilla was standing.

After Bonilla discarded the narcotics he reached back into his front pocket. He pulled his right hand out of his front pocket holding a shiny silver metallic looking object. One of the officers thought it was a gun. He believed Bonilla was going to shoot him or the other officers. He fired one round from his duty weapon toward Bonilla but did not strike him. Both men immediately complied with the officers’ commands and were taken into custody without incident. The investigation revealed that Bonilla had pulled a cellular telephone from his pocket.

The investigation resulted in all four subjects being arrested. Bonilla and 40 year-old Nick Soto of Corona were arrested for various narcotics charges and parole violations. They were booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center. The female juvenile was a reported missing person and was arrested for a felony burglary warrant. She was booked into Juvenile Hall. 24 year-old Fredrick Bourdon of Riverside was arrested for possession of marijuana. He was issued a citation and released.

No civilians or police officers were injured as a result of the incident.

Anyone with information related to this case is urged to contact Detective Dave Smith at 909-320-8062.