A deputy was shot and wounded by the sole passenger in an alleged hit-and-run vehicle and returned fire, injuring the suspect, while attempting to make an arrest in an unincorporated area of the county near Thousand Palms, authorities said Thursday.
Deputies from the Palm Desert Sheriff's Station responded at 7:08 p.m. Wednesday to find a felony hit-and-run suspect in the area of Ramon and Robert Roads, according to Sgt. Deirdre Vickers of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. Deputies stopped a vehicle with two people inside.
"While detaining the driver of the vehicle, the passenger fired at deputies, and a deputy-involved shooting occurred," Vickers wrote in a statement. "The suspect barricaded inside the vehicle and refused to follow commands."
The sheriff's department's Special Enforcement Bureau and California Highway Patrol subsequently responded to the scene to assist, according to Vickers.
A deputy was struck by gunfire and taken to a hospital, where he remained in stable condition, Vickers said. Deputies provided medical aid to the suspect, also struck by gunfire, and took him to the hospital, where he remained in stable condition.
Both suspects were taken into custody, and the driver was booked into jail on an outstanding felony warrant, according to Vickers.
The identities of the suspects and deputies involved were not immediately released.
"The involved deputies will be placed on paid administrative leave according to Department policy," Vickers said. "Investigators from the Riverside County District Attorney's Office and the California Highway Patrol assigned to the Riverside Sheriff's Force Investigations Detail will lead this investigation."
Anyone with information on the shooting was asked to call Riverside County District Attorney investigator Mario Moreno at 951-955-9470.
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