Police shot a career criminal dead Thursday after he killed a California sheriff’s deputy.
William Shae McKay, 44, shot and killed Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy Isaiah Cordero, 32, during a traffic stop in Jurupa Valley, according to a statement from Sheriff Chad Bianco shared on social media. McKay then led police on an extensive two-county police chase involving more than two-dozen law enforcement vehicles, the New York Post reported.
“This terrible tragedy should’ve been prevented by the legal system”
Sheriff Chad Bianco says the 44 yr old suspect from San Bernardino County who shot and killed a @RSO Deputy today – had 3 strikes.
The Sheriff’s message: pic.twitter.com/mqpI40IFko
— MarlaTellez (@MarlaTellez) December 30, 2022
Footage of the car chase was shared on ABC7. Law enforcement trapped McKay in his vehicle against the embankment. He was killed after at least two shots entered through his windscreen, the outlet noted.
McKay had three strikes and an extensive criminal history going back to before the year 2000, including kidnapping, robbery, multiple assaults with deadly weapons, and stabbing a Highway Patrol K-9, Bianco told the press.
“This terrible tragedy should have been prevented by the legal system,” Bianco told the press. “McKay has an extensive violent past, and was convicted of his third strike in November of 2021. That case involved kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon.” (RELATED: California Man Arrested For Allegedly Luring More Than 80 Children Into Making Illegal Videos)
Bianco added that McKay should have been sentenced to 25-years-to-life in prison, but the judge lowered his bail after the DA requested no bail, which allowed him to be released. McKay was later arrested for failing to appear at his sentencing and for additional criminal charges, but the same judge let him go again.
“We would not be here today if the judge had done her job,” Bianco continued. “I want to send a message and let me be very clear. Anyone who targets a member of law enforcement in our community, will be met with swift action.”
Californian cities, like many other Democrat-run jurisdictions, have experienced historic increases in violent crime throughout 2022. Politicians and district attorneys have been criticized for “soft on crime” policies such as “no bail”, which are believed to be contributing to the rise in organized and random crime throughout the state.