Police Shoot Man In The Head 6 Times After He Killed A Deputy At Traffic Stop

Added: 2026-06-08

[00:00:01]What up, man?

[00:00:01]>> How you doing?

[00:00:02]>> Your tags for your car?

[00:00:03]>> Uh they're in the car.

[00:00:06]Probably in the house.

[00:00:06]>> Huh?

[00:00:07]>> They're probably in the house. I don't >> Probably? Is this your car?

[00:00:10]>> Yes, sir.

[00:00:10]>> Yeah? Can I see your driver's license and the registration?

[00:00:16]>> Excuse me, my license is in my >> I'm sorry?

[00:00:18]>> My license is in my bag.

[00:00:19]>> Okay.

[00:00:20]>> Can I grab it?

[00:00:21]>> Yeah.

[00:01:12]>> Shots fired at suspect's house. Return fire.

[00:01:14]>> On a quiet afternoon in Southern California, a routine traffic stop turned into something no one could have imagined. Within minutes, a veteran law enforcement officer would be fighting for his life. A suspect with a violent past would disappear onto the highways, and an entire region would be thrust into one of the most intense manhunts California has seen in years. But what makes this [music] story even more disturbing isn't just what happened on that December day. It's the question many people were asking afterward.

[00:01:48]Should any of this have happened at all?

[00:01:50]Because as investigators dug deeper into the suspect's past, they uncovered a trail of warnings, missed opportunities, and decisions that would ignite outrage across the state. This is the story of Deputy Isaiah Cordero, a dangerous fugitive named William Shea McKay, and the pursuit that ended in a hail of gunfire beneath a freeway overpass.

[00:02:15]December 29th, 2022, just after 2:00 p.m., Riverside County Sheriff's Deputy Isaiah Cordero was on patrol in Jurupa Valley. To anyone watching, it looked like an ordinary day. Traffic moved steadily through the city. Drivers came and went. Nothing seemed unusual. Then Deputy Cordero initiated a traffic stop on a black pickup truck. At first, there was no indication that the encounter would be different from countless others he conducted throughout his career. But inside that truck sat a man carrying a dark and violent history. A man who spent dec- ades moving through California's criminal justice system. A man who had repeatedly crossed paths with law enforcement. As Deputy Cordero approached the vehicle, something happened that would shock the entire state. Without warning, gunfire erupted.

[00:03:11]Multiple shots rang out. The deputy collapsed. The suspect immediately fled the scene. Within moments, emergency responders rushed to save Deputy Cordero's life. But despite their efforts, the injuries were too catastrophic. News of the shooting spread rapidly through law enforcement channels. An officer had been murdered, and the suspect was still on the run.

[00:03:35]>> Sir, my partner is bleeding from the head.

[00:03:37]>> All directions.

[00:03:38]>> Keep going straight.

[00:03:39]>> They didn't say they were shot. Unknown amount of GSWs at this point.

[00:03:43]>> Right here, right here, right here.

[00:03:44]>> Just tell me if he's gone or not responding at all. They threw to have a pulse.

[00:03:50]118 is not responding at all. Code 3.

[00:04:03]>> Isaiah.

[00:04:06]Hey, hey, hey.

[00:04:08]Isaiah, can you hear us, brother?

[00:04:10]Can you hear me?

[00:04:12]Isaiah, can you hear >> Can you hear us?

[00:04:16]Hey, listen to me. Can you hear me?

[00:04:31]Can we get this off?

[00:04:36]I got nowhere. I don't have anything. No idea what happened. I don't know if he's I can't tell if he's breathing or not.

[00:04:42]Get them back.

[00:04:43]>> Have them scoot back.

[00:04:44]>> I can't tell if he's breathing.

[00:04:51]>> Get my AED.

[00:04:53]Mayday.

[00:04:54]AED.

[00:04:55]>> AED now.

[00:05:02]Got it.

[00:05:08]Can we get somebody to hold his head?

[00:05:11]Yes, yes. Looks to the face.

[00:05:13]>> As details emerged, authorities identified the suspect as 44-year-old William Shea McKay. The response was immediate. Law enforcement agencies from multiple jurisdictions mobilized. Patrol units flooded roadways. Air support searched from above. Investigators worked frantically to determine where McKay might have headed, but tracking him would not be easy. Southern California's vast network of highways offered countless escape routes. Every minute that passed increased the possibility that he could disappear.

[00:05:49]Then came a breakthrough. Authorities located McKay's vehicle. What followed was a pursuit stretching across county lines and major freeways. Speeds climbed, traffic scattered, law enforcement remained in relentless pursuit, but McKay refused to surrender.

[00:06:06]Deputies deployed spike strips in an attempt to stop him. The truck barreled forward. Its tires suffered damage, yet somehow the chase continued. The suspect pushed onward. Officers knew they were dealing with someone who appeared willing to do anything to avoid capture.

[00:06:24]And as the miles passed, a dangerous question began hanging over the pursuit.

[00:06:29]How would this end? Would McKay surrender? Would he crash? Or was something even worse waiting at the end of the road? As the pursuit continued southbound on Interstate 15, law enforcement prepared for a final attempt to stop the fugitive. The chase had already covered a tremendous distance.

[00:06:49]Resources from multiple agencies were involved, and the risk to the public was growing. Then, beneath an overpass in Norco, everything came to a head. A Sheriff's Department armored vehicle moved into position. The massive Bearcat struck the fleeing truck and pinned it against the shoulder. For a brief moment, it appeared the pursuit was over, but it wasn't. Not even close.

[00:07:14]Inside the disabled vehicle, McKay still had a weapon. And according to investigators, he immediately opened fire. Gunshots echoed beneath the overpass. Deputies found themselves under attack from a suspect who had already been accused of murdering a fellow officer just hours earlier. What followed was a violent exchange of gunfire. Deputies returned fire through the truck's windshield. The confrontation lasted only moments, but those moments would bring an end to one of California's most intense manhunts.

[00:07:48]When the shooting stopped, officers approached cautiously. Inside the truck, they discovered Dorner had been fatally wounded. The chase was over. The fugitive was dead, but for many people, the story was only beginning.

[00:08:06]>> He's under the bridge.

[00:08:42]>> Back back back it up. Dean fire.

[00:08:44]>> Hey, HOLD YOUR FIRE.

[00:08:48]>> RETURN FIRE. RETURN FIRE.

[00:08:53]>> BACK IT UP. BACK IT UP.

[00:08:55]>> BACK. BACK. BACK. BACK. BACK.

[00:08:57]>> Hold right here.

[00:08:58]>> Hold right here.

[00:09:00]>> Hold right >> Good. BACK UP. BACK UP.

[00:09:02]>> WATCH YOUR COVER.

[00:09:06]>> HEY.

[00:09:10]>> Put your sirens >> Hey, check those weapons over there.

[00:09:21]>> We got people hit.

[00:09:23]>> What's that?

[00:09:24]>> Nobody. Nobody else got hit, right?

[00:09:26]>> Let's confirm that.

[00:09:27]>> Let's confirm that and then we're going to take an element to the back of that bear cat.

[00:09:32]>> Full speed.

[00:09:34]We're above the bridge.

[00:09:36]Got a visual of the passenger inside in the truck.

[00:09:39]>> You're in charge of this team. If he goes that way, you're in charge.

[00:09:41]>> Got it.

[00:09:43]>> I need you with your dog.

[00:09:44]>> All the deputies on that side of you are code four.

[00:09:47]>> Okay, I want to take a look from the Bearcat in there. I need to assess that.

[00:09:55]>> Here, right here.

[00:09:59]>> Are you a shooter?

[00:10:00]>> No.

[00:10:00]>> Okay.

[00:10:02]Take this Do you engage?

[00:10:03]>> Yes.

[00:10:04]>> Hey. Frank, do you engage?

[00:10:06]>> All right, get over here.

[00:10:07]>> Take over with me.

[00:10:09]>> All right, you two, go to that alley.

[00:10:11]>> I'm with the dog. I'm going to push him to the bottom of the alley with the Bearcat. Do you shoot?

[00:10:15]>> No.

[00:10:15]>> Yeah, do what you got >> Yeah, we're good.

[00:10:17]>> Back up.

[00:10:19]>> Get back.

[00:10:23]>> Yes, yes.

[00:10:32]>> Awesome.

[00:10:36]Watch out, fall out on the Awesome.

[00:10:41]>> I got a good off angle.

[00:10:43]>> Awesome.

[00:10:43]>> I got a good angle.

[00:10:44]He is definitely And there's no movement. He's not breathing.

[00:10:50]>> Breaking news right now on KCAL 9 News at 10.

[00:10:56]>> Anyone who targets a member of law enforcement >> [music] >> in our community will be met with swift action.

[00:11:03]>> The Riverside County Sheriff outraged tonight after one of his deputies was shot to death during [music] a traffic stop.

[00:11:09]>> Southwest Airlines looking for redemption. Airline is making a big promise to frustrated customers that all takeoffs will happen tomorrow.

[00:11:16]>> And chilly, cloudy, [music] and damp weather continues to creep in tonight, but will that mean a washout for the holiday weekend? Hi everyone, I'm [music] Susie Suh.

[00:11:25]>> Thank you so much for joining us on this Thursday evening. I'm Jeff Vaughn. This is KCAL 9 News at 10:00, also streaming on CBS News Los Angeles. And tonight we have breaking news. Our top story, a Riverside County Sheriff's deputy killed in the line of duty today has been identified. Isaiah Cordero was a motorcycle deputy assigned to Jurupa Valley shot to death during a traffic stop.

[00:11:48]>> Well, tonight at Riverside Community Hospital hundreds of deputies formed honor lines silently saluting paying respect to the fallen deputy as a flag draped casket was carried solemnly to a hearse.

[00:12:01]>> And for the next hours the procession moved down the 215 to Paris >> [music] >> where we witnessed one of the largest convoys of patrol cars and police motorcycles we've ever seen. Hundreds [music] of police vehicles, blue lights flashing for miles. Firefighters, residents standing on highway overpasses [music] saluting the fallen deputy.

[00:12:21]>> And with a massive American flag flying high in the air, the procession arrived at the corner's office in Paris as the deputy's body was transferred to the office where investigators would now learn more about how he died.

[00:12:35]>> And tonight the Riverside County Sheriff lashed out the justice system for the tragic death of his deputy.

[00:12:41]>> Yeah, Sheriff Chad Bianco says the killer had a long rap sheet and was repeatedly set free when he should [music] have stayed locked up. KCAL 9's Nicole Comstock is live tonight in Jurupa Valley with an update for us.

[00:12:53]Nicole?

[00:12:56]>> Well, tonight we learned that Deputy Isaiah Cordero had been with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department since 2014, but he had only been promoted to this motorcycle enforcement beat back in September of this year. Tonight Sheriff Chad Bianco said he devoted his life to protecting people in this community and it was the legal system ultimately that failed this deputy. [music] >> Deputy Cordero learned from his mother the value of serving and helping others.

[00:13:24]>> Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco speaking at a [music] press conference about the legacy of service left behind after the violent killing of one of his beloved motorcycle deputies, 32-year-old Isaiah Cordero.

[00:13:37]>> Instead of sentencing him to 25 years to life, which should have happened, the judge lowered his bail, allowing him to be released.

[00:13:46]>> Bianco announced that the suspect, William Shae McKay, had an extensive criminal history and was recently released from jail after a third-strike kidnapping offense in 2021.

[00:13:57]Bianco called out the judge in that case, saying this tragedy would have been prevented if she had done her job.

[00:14:04]Now in the dark, investigators are looking over evidence here at Golden West and Condor in Jurupa Valley. It was in front of these homes this afternoon that Deputy Cordero pulled over a truck and Deputy Shae McKay shot him, killing him before going on the run.

[00:14:19]>> [screaming] >> Dozens of deputies chased after McKay as he led them on a pursuit that spanned several Inland Empire freeways, the 60, the 210, and the 15.

[00:14:30]Eventually, an armored vehicle like this one rammed into his truck here in Norco, pinning it to the side of the freeway.

[00:14:37]This after deputies successfully deployed a spike strip and the truck lost an axle. Then they say McKay fired at deputies, so they shot back, killing him.

[00:14:46]>> People [music] have no respect for law officers.

[00:14:49]So, it's kind of a weird society we live in nowadays.

[00:14:54]>> Jason Haskins lives down the street from where Deputy Cordero lost his life. He brought these officers water and asked them how they were holding up.

[00:15:02]>> Give them my condolences. They're just trying to protect us.

[00:15:08]>> And the Riverside Sheriff's Association sent out a statement [music] tonight calling Deputy Cordero a ray of sunshine in the department. He was also known as a little brother to many deputies in the department, always cracking jokes when he was at work. We're told that he leaves behind a girlfriend, a daughter-in-law, and a loving mother and father.

[00:15:26]Reporting live in Jurupa Valley, I'm Nicole Comstock, KCAL 9 News.

[00:15:31]>> Let's take a live look at Interstate 15 in Norco, where the [music] chase with that suspect ended. Currently, all southbound lanes of the 15 are closed for that investigation.

[00:15:40]>> In the days that followed, investigators began revealing details about McKay's criminal history, and those details stunned the public. His record stretched back decades. Kidnapping, robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, violent offenses that painted the picture of a repeat offender familiar to the justice system. But, one revelation stood above all the others. Just over a year earlier, McKay had been convicted of what was described as a third-strike offense, a conviction carrying the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence. Yet, somehow, he was not behind bars. Instead, he had been released on bail while awaiting sentencing. Then, he failed to appear in court. Now, many were asking the same question. If he had remained in custody, would Deputy Isaiah Cordero still be alive?

[00:16:34]>> William McKay's is name, a career criminal, now 44. His arrest record goes back to when he was in his 20s. He was on the street, as best as we can tell, for a very simple reason that even after his conviction, the judge didn't order him into custody, but granted him bail.

[00:16:50]A career criminal. That's how the Riverside County Sheriff describes William McKay. He should have been in prison, the Sheriff says, not on the streets [music] to murder his deputy.

[00:17:00]>> We're here to protect people, and who's protecting us?

[00:17:03]>> Talking with GG Graciete on Good Day LA, Sheriff Chad Bianco detailed William McKay's criminal history. Kidnapping, robbery, assaults with deadly weapons.

[00:17:13]He should have been behind bars under California's three-strikes law after a recent conviction, but was granted bail by a judge in Rancho Cucamonga before sentencing. [music] >> If that judge is going to let him out of jail, how many others have been let out?

[00:17:28]This is not isolated. This is This is a movement within the justice system that that's for some reason we feel sorry for criminals.

[00:17:37]>> Bianco didn't name the judge, but Fox 11 reviewed San Bernardino County's publicly available court records identifying Judge Cara Hudson on the bench since 2007.

[00:17:50]Her courtroom was closed today. No one [music] from San Bernardino County courts responded to our request for comment. A statement from the district attorney was critical of the judge.

[00:18:01]A failure in the process to separate McKay from society and hold him accountable for his crimes has resulted in the tragic loss of a law enforcement deputy.

[00:18:11]>> That judge knew his what his record was, and he should have been in jail.

[00:18:17]This Riverside County Deputy Sheriff should not have been killed.

[00:18:21]>> Tanya Owen knows all about tragic loss.

[00:18:23]Her LA County Deputy husband, Steve, was murdered by a parolee in 2016. Since then, she's been active in efforts that emphasize victims' rights over criminals. Was there in June to support the family of two slain El Monte officers by a felon on probation.

[00:18:39]Owen, a retired deputy herself, will be there to support Deputy Isaiah Cordero's family if called on.

[00:18:46]>> All we really expect as law enforcement officers is for those people that are in charge that that that are in the justice system hold these people accountable because all they're doing now is just emboldening criminals to go out there and commit crimes because they know they're not going to be held accountable.

[00:19:05]>> So, the questions, of course, for the judge, which she is not answering, why she released him on bail. It's a complicated legal history of this man.

[00:19:15]Uh his sentence was pending. He was arrested apparently, Christina Marla, for multiple crimes and released each time. So, questions the judge will at some point have to answer when she comes back to the bench after the Christmas and New Year's holiday.

[00:19:28]>> The death of Deputy Isaiah Cordero left the family grieving, a department mourning, and a community searching for answers. The pursuit ended beneath a freeway overpass, but the debate it sparked continues to this day. Was this simply the act of a violent criminal, or was it a tragedy that could have been prevented long before the traffic stop ever happened? And perhaps most haunting of all, how many warning signs were missed before it was too late?

[00:19:56]>> Here at home, shock and anger tonight after the slaying of a Riverside County Sheriff's Deputy gunned down during a traffic stop by a three-time convicted felon released on bail. The Riverside County Sheriff says the gunman would never have been out on the streets if a judge had done her job.

[00:20:15]>> KTLA's Rick Chambers reports from Jurupa Valley.

[00:20:19]Yeah, guys, behind me you can see the growing memorial to Deputy Cordero. In fact, it's been getting bigger by the hour here at their JB station. Tonight, we're getting a closer look at the moments immediately after the deputy was shot, as well as new information about the shooter.

[00:20:35]>> A home surveillance camera captures the moment Jurupa Valley residents realize Deputy Isaiah Cordero is lying wounded on their street.

[00:20:43]>> We tried our best to help.

[00:20:45]>> This is the woman in the video who called 911, but doesn't want to be identified.

[00:20:50]>> We saw the truck um parked, heard the gunshot, saw the officer down, and ran to his aid. We we tried our best to help the officer as much as we could.

[00:21:04]>> Investigators say 44-year-old William Mcai is the career criminal who shot Deputy Cordero during a traffic stop.

[00:21:13]Then led police on a pursuit before crashing and dying in a shootout with deputies.

[00:21:18]McCay has a violent criminal history dating back to the late 90s. He got his first strike in '99 along with a 3-year sentence.

[00:21:27]His second strike came in '05 after he beat and robbed a couple and was sentenced to 13 years in prison.

[00:21:34]His third strike came in November of last year after holding another woman hostage. But for some reason the court delayed his sentencing. McCay made bail and never came back. In fact, there was a warrant for his arrest [music] when he killed Deputy Cordero.

[00:21:49]>> He should have been immediately sentenced to 25 years to life. The judge reduced bail allowing him to bail out against the objections of the prosecutor.

[00:21:58]And here we are today.

[00:22:00]>> Throughout the day, people have been bringing flowers and candles here to the Huroc Valley Station House.

[00:22:06]>> It's just great to see all the support from the community.

[00:22:09]It really meant a lot to me and my family.

[00:22:12]>> David Padilla is Deputy Cordero's cousin.

[00:22:14]>> He was pretty much the reason why I'm here law enforcement.

[00:22:19]He was my push, my motivator.

[00:22:22]Um If it weren't for him, I I wouldn't be in this uniform.

[00:22:25]>> Some of these visitors knew Cordero.

[00:22:27]Many did not. But the young deputy's service meant a great deal to all of them.

[00:22:32]>> I told y'all the year having, man.

[00:22:34]That's a story of a racist California biker who ended up taking the life of a police officer and then, you know, he met his demise at the end.

[00:22:43]They lit that boy up. 26 shots. Bah!

[00:22:47]But hey, man. Get in that comment section. Let me know what y'all think, man. Drillers and trappers, we outside trapping and drilling 24/7. Don't go nowhere. Watch that next video. Gang.