A 36-year-old man was shot and killed at a shopping center in the city of Hemet after being chased by two individuals Monday evening, police said.
Officers responded to the 200 block of E. Stetson Avenue shortly before 6:30 p.m. after receiving a call about a man bleeding and being chased by two men, according to the Hemet Police Department. Soon after, another caller reported hearing gunshots and seeing a bloodied man fall to the ground and a white SUV seen driving away from the area.
Investigators learned the 36-year-old victim was seen being punched and hit by two men in a nearby alley a few minutes before the first 911 calls, and somehow, the victim managed to get away from the attackers and made his way to a shopping center on E. Stetson before the two suspects cornered the victim near a pizza restaurant and shot him multiple times, said Hemet police.
The victim died at the scene.
At some point, the white SUV seen driving away from the area, crashed into a brick mailbox in the 1400 block of S. Palm Avenue after the driver lost control, according to police. Officers found two suspects hiding nearby and took them into custody. Police say a weapon and other evidence of the crime was also found.
The identity of the victim was not immediately known. Detectives would like to talk to anyone who was in the area at the time of the crime.
Anyone with information regarding this homicide investigation is asked to call the Hemet Police Department at 951-765-2400 or contact the department through the Hemet PD smartphone app.
