RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. (KABC) — A San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy who was shot and killed in the line of duty will be memorialized Wednesday evening at a candlelight vigil in Rancho Cucamonga.
Deputy Andrew Nunez is also being honored with flags flying at half-staff throughout California, days after he was gunned down while responding to a domestic violence call.
The somber vigil will pay tribute to Nunez starting at 6 p.m. at Rancho Cucamonga City Hall.
The alleged gunman and high-speed chase suspect was identified Tuesday as Angelo Jose Saldivar, 47, a resident of San Bernardino. The sheriff’s department said Saldivar “is not affiliated with any law enforcement agency” and remains hospitalized.
Formal charges were pending in connection with Nunez’s killing, which occurred Monday afternoon.
Outside the sheriff’s Rancho Cucamonga station, a makeshift memorial was growing in honor of the slain deputy. Strangers came by to leave candles, flowers, notes, and some to bow their heads in prayer for Nunez’s family.
Among the mourners were Nunez’s neighbors, who learned of the tragedy from watching the news. They came to leave a Dodgers hat and towel for the man they say never judged them. The couple shared a photo of Nunez at a Dodger game they bought tickets for him to see.
“I seen his picture and I could not believe it. Good man. You know? Good man,” neighbor Beni San Tiesteban said.
“We’re embedded in sorrow, unfortunately for our department, this has happened way too often when we talk about this young man, his wife, 2-year-old daughter, and the couple was expecting.”
Nunez’s aunt, Maria, sent Eyewitness News the following statement:
“Andrew leaves behind his beautiful wife, their precious two-year-old daughter, and another baby girl on the way. He also leaves a heartbroken mother, three brothers, and a sister who loved him deeply.
I’ll miss the simple, everyday moments with him-like his random Tuesday calls asking what kind of coffee I wanted, just because he wanted to spend time together. His daughter’s face would light up the second she saw him walk into a room; the bond they shared was something truly special.
Andrew was one of the kindest, most selfless people you could ever meet. He had a gentle heart, a warm smile, and a way of making everyone around him feel loved and seen. He was so excited to become a father again, and it’s unbearable to know he won’t get the chance to hold his new baby girl.
Life feels so unfair right now. Andrew was dedicated to his work, his family, and his friends, and in one tragic moment, he was taken from us far too soon.
Through the Peace Officers Research Association of California, a donation page was set up by the sheriff’s department to help support Nunez’s wife, Roxy, who is a stay-at-home mom.
Sheriff Shannon Dicus said Nunez had been with the Sheriff’s Department for six years and served the Rancho Cucamonga community for five years. He described Nunez as a “wonderful father” and “wonderful deputy sheriff.”
A procession led the body of Deputy Andrew Nunez from the hospital to the coroner’s office on Monday evening. Hundreds of officers took part in the procession.
After the suspect fired at the sheriff’s deputy in Rancho Cucamonga, he hopped on a motorcycle, sparking a dramatic, high-speed chase that ended in a major crash on the 210 Freeway near Upland.
Dicus confirmed that an off-duty narcotics officer conducted a “legal intervention” by striking the suspect on the motorcycle, which sparked the crash that ended the chase. Moments before the crash, Saldivar pulled out what appeared to be a weapon.
The shooting was reported at about 12:37 p.m. at a condominium complex in the 12300 block of Hollyhock Drive in Rancho Cucamonga, just north of Victoria Gardens. Deputies reportedly responded to the area for a domestic violence call about an armed man threatening a woman.
The deputies were fired upon as soon as they arrived at the scene, the sheriff’s department said. Nunez sustained a single gunshot wound to the head, Dicus said. He was rushed to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton and was pronounced dead at 1:13 p.m.
Saldivar was taken into custody and transported to the hospital in stable condition after the crash on the 210 Freeway.
The sheriff’s department said he will be booked for murder upon medical clearance.
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