San Bernardino County: Suspect ID'd in fatal shooting of sheriff's deputy after motorcycle chase

YUCCA VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) -- A deceased man has been identified after authorities said he fatally shot a San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department deputy in the aftermath of a motorcycle chase. The suspect was later shot and killed in a separate confrontation.

The Sheriff's Department on Wednesday released the name and a photo of the suspect, Bilal Winston Shabazz. Investigators said he shot 43-year-old sheriff's Sgt. Dominic Vaca, a 17-year veteran of the agency who was assigned to the Morongo Basin station.

Shortly after 12:30 p.m. Monday, deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop after spotting the motorcycle without a license plate near the intersection of Paxton Road and Imperial Drive. The man on the motorcycle refused to pull over and a chase ensued, the Sheriff's Department said in a statement.

During the pursuit, the suspect "bailed out of the vehicle" near Dumosa Avenue and Sunnyslope Drive and ran into the desert, the news release said.

"A short time later, they located the motorcycle and the rider was gone," Sheriff McMahon said.

As deputies approached the motorcycle and attempted to find the rider, he started firing at responding deputies, striking Vaca.

A San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy was airlifted to a hospital in serious condition after being shot by a motorcyclist at the end of a chase in the Yucca Valley area, authorities said.

"A short time later, the suspect was located and he started shooting at the additional deputies. They returned fire and the suspect is deceased," the sheriff said, adding that a handgun was found at the scene.