Riverside police honor officer killed in Chris Dorner ambush

ByABC7.com staff KABC logo
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Riverside Police Officer Mike Crain is pictured in this undated file photo. Crain was killed in an ambush while on routine patrol on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013.
Riverside Police Officer Mike Crain is pictured in this undated file photo. Crain was killed in an ambush while on routine patrol on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013.
KABC-KABC

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- The Riverside Police Department gathered for a remembrance ceremony early Saturday to mark the second anniversary of the Christopher Dorner rampage that left officer Michael Crain dead and his partner, officer Andrew Tachias, critically wounded.

A dispatcher read a tribute to the fallen officer over the police radio frequency at exactly 1:31 a.m., the exact time when ex-LAPD officer Dorner opened fire on the officers near the intersection of Magnolia and Arlington avenues.

A moment of silence followed the tribute. Dorner killed four people before eventually killing himself in a burning cabin near Angelus Oaks during an intense two-week manhunt.

This undated photo released by the Los Angeles Police Department shows suspect Christopher Dorner, a former Los Angeles officer.
Los Angeles Police Department

Dorner went on a killing spree in response to what he considered his wrongful termination. The terror began on Feb. 3, 2013 when Dorner murdered Monica Quan and her fiance, Keith Lawrence. Quan was the daughter of former LAPD Capt. Randal Quan, who was mentioned as a target of Dorner's fury in his so-called "manifesto." Quan had represented Dorner in the disciplinary case that resulted in Dorner's termination from the LAPD.

Dorner then went on a deadly rampage through several counties across Southern California, fatally shooting Riverside police officer Michael Crain.

Tachias and Crain were on routine patrol and stopped at a red light when they were allegedly ambushed by Dorner, who reportedly opened fire with a rifle. The officers were unable to fire back.

San Bernardino County Sheriff's Detective Jeremiah MacKay was also fatally shot in the ensuing manhunt.

Tachias, a graduate of UC Riverside, is still recovering from his injuries.