The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has released the 911 recording and bodycam footage of an officer-involved shooting that killed Royce Robertson, 33, of Joshua Tree on February 15. The shooting occurred around 7:30 a.m., just inside the gates of the Desert Horizons Country Club in Indian Wells. Prior to the shooting, a 911 call was made reporting that Robertson had pointed a handgun at and made threatening statements towards the driver of another vehicle, asking him, “Do you want to die today?” After the incident, Robertson fled the scene in his vehicle. When deputies attempted to pull Robertson over, he kept driving until he reached the entrance of the Desert Horizons Country Club and stopped his car just inside the gate. From there, Reporter Cassidy Taylor says the situation took a heartbreaking turn…
Riverside County Sheriff
“Shoot me, shoot me, end my existence.”
Robertson then pulled what appeared to be a handgun from a holster inside his jacket and pointed it at the deputies. It was at that time, that deputies shot and killed Robertson.
After investigation, the handgun was revealed to be a Crossman full auto P1 4.5-millimeter BB air pistol, which looked nearly identical to a real gun.
Riverside County Sheriff
Robertson was the founder of the Joshua Tree Coffee Company and a well-known local in the Morongo Basin. The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office and the Sheriff’s Department Central Homicide Unit are investigating the incident.
Riverside County Sheriff
Below is the link to the video, published by the Riverside County Sheriff. The video is disturbing and should not be shown to children.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) is a toll-free hotline in the US for people in distress. The lifeline is free and available 24/7.
