Deputies Kill Suspected Car Thief Outside Walmart In High Desert

HESPERIA (CBSLA.com) – San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputies killed one suspected car thief and wounded another outside a Walmart in Hesperia Wednesday morning.

The two suspects were in a dark green stolen Honda in the parking lot of the store on Main Street when they were shot shortly before 8 a.m., according to deputies.

The sound of gunfire sent shoppers running for their lives.

"It was scary," Chiana Hunter, who was shopping with her kids. "Put your hands down. Sir, put your hands down," Hunder recalled deputies shouting out commands to the suspects.

"It's scary. I need to move. I'm about to move out of here," Hunter said.

According to authorities, before the shooting, the California Highway Patrol and Fontana police were conducting a stolen car operation. After they found one stolen vehicle outside Walmart, they noticed the suspects were trying to steal another.

Officers boxed the suspects' car in to stop the three from leaving. That was when the driver went forward and reversed. He almost hit the officers, prompting them to open fire.

The owner of the stolen Honda came to the crime scene after seeing his car in the news. He declined to talk on camera but said he left his vehicle outside his house in Victorville last night.

The third suspect was arrested.

This follows another SBSD deputy-involved shooting that occurred in the 25000 block of Flathead Road in Apple Valley Tuesday night.

At 6:08 p.m., deputies were searching for a suspect, identified as 41-year-old Dearld Edward Wicker, in connection with a shooting that had occurred in a Target parking lot on Monday.

The deputies made contact with Wicker, who was armed with a handgun, and a shooting occurred, SBSD reports.

Wicker was struck by gunfire, the sheriff's department reports. He was airlifted to Loma Linda Medical Center in unknown condition. No deputies were wounded in the incident.