Coroner IDs Third Suspect Killed by Law Enforcement in Riverside County in Six Days

Riverside County coroner's personnel have identified a man who allegedly approached a deputy with a knife before the deputy fatally shot him next to Interstate 10 east of Cabazon on Tuesday July 9.

James Ridge, 46, of Yucaipa, was the third suspect killed by law enforcement in Riverside County in a six-day span. Deputies in Jurupa Valley fatally shot Adam Bosch, 29, of Norco, on Sunday July 7, and Indio police fatally shot Ernest Foster Jr., 37, city of residence unknown, during a foot pursuit in the 82200 block of Highway 111 on Thursday July 4.

Ridge allegedly ignored commands to drop a knife as he advanced on the deputy, Sgt. Lisa McConnell, a designated spokesperson for the Sheriff's Department, said Tuesday evening.

Ridge was also the second Yucaipa resident fatally shot by law enforcement in less than two weeks.

On Saturday June 29, San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies responded to a vandalism/disturbance call and fatally shot Merlin Factor, 25, of Yucaipa, who tried to "retrieve a weapon" as he struggled with deputies in the parking lot of 1st Baptist Church at 34784 Yucaipa Blvd.

Here is the Riverside County Sheriff's Department account of what occurred Tuesday afternoon on the frontage road east of Cabazon:

At 4:59 p.m. July 9, deputies from the sheriff's Cabazon Station responded to the area of Railroad Avenue, just south of Interstate 10, in the unincorporated area of Cabazon "regarding a male subject reported to be armed with knives," McConnell said in a statement.

"The deputies received this information from the Moreno Valley Police Department indicating the subject was en route to the city of Moreno Valley," McConnell said.

Moreno Valley police are part of the Sheriff's Department.

A deputy from the Cabazon Station located the subject walking on Railroad Avenue, McConnell said.

"As the deputy attempted to contact him, the suspect brandished a knife and advanced towards the deputy," McConnell said. "The deputy gave several commands for the suspect to drop the knife. The suspect continued to advance toward the deputy, refusing to drop the knife. At this time an officer involved shooting occurred."

The man with the knife, identified as Ridge, died at the scene, McConnell said.

"The involved deputy was uninjured and per department policy has been placed on paid administrative leave," McConnell said.

Investigators from the sheriff's Central Homicide Unit were called out.

McConnell said Friday in a phone interview with Banning-Beaumont Patch she was not sure how Moreno Valley police heard Ridge was allegedly armed with a knife or knives, where he was coming from, or who initially reported him to law enforcement that afternoon.

Anyone with more info was urged to call Central Homicide Investigator Moody at (760) 393-3500 or Cabazon Station Investigator Bonaime at (951) 922-7100.