Our city has been struck by a tragic event as we mourn the loss of Sheriff’s Deputy Darnell Calhoun, who was fatally shot in the line of duty last Friday in Lake Elsinore. This heartbreaking incident, the second in just a fortnight, has deeply saddened the community and our company.
Calhoun, 30, was responding to a call regarding potential domestic violence and a child custody dispute on Hilldale Lane, as reported by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. Shortly after his arrival at the scene, he was critically wounded.
Despite being promptly transported to the Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar and receiving emergency surgery, Deputy Calhoun tragically succumbed to his injuries just before 8pm. The suspect, whose identity remains undisclosed, was also critically injured in an exchange of gunfire with a second deputy who arrived at the scene. The suspect is currently in custody.
Sheriff Chad Bianco, in a press conference later in the day, paid tribute to Calhoun describing him as “the most cheerful, the most positive, the most good, wholesome man you could imagine”. Calhoun had started his law enforcement career in San Diego before transferring to Riverside County in early 2022, serving the Lake Elsinore community, located about 55 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles.
The San Diego Police Department expressed their grief on social media, writing, “We are devastated to learn that Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Darnell Calhoun was killed in the line of duty this evening while protecting Lake Elsinore. We too are mourning alongside Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.”
This tragedy comes just two weeks after the loss of another local hero, 32-year-old Deputy Isaiah Cordero, who was also fatally shot in the line of duty during a traffic stop in the city of Jurupa Valley.
Our company joins the city in extending our deepest condolences to the Calhoun family, friends, and all those who served alongside Deputy Calhoun in San Diego and Riverside County. We stand united in grief and gratitude for his dedicated service to our community.
