By Neha Malhi
RIVERSIDE, CA – Robert Whitecloud Trujillo, a suspect in a 2019 fatal shooting in Hemet, CA, had his preliminary hearing in Riverside County Superior Court begin Friday—it will be ongoing this week.
Trujillo was arrested in July of 2019 for the fatal shooting in Hemet. According to authorities, he allegedly shot a man to death and left a 10-year-old child severely wounded.
Per Hemet Police Department Lt. Jeff Davis, “Police responded to a report of gunfire heard in the area when they found Michael Lujan, 30, of Hemet, wounded at Harvard Street and Mayberry Avenue.”
Lujan died shortly after arriving at the hospital and another victim, a 10-year-old boy, was in stable condition—he was visiting relatives at a residence when he sustained the gunshot wound.
The prosecution said, at the time of this incident the accused was already on post-release community, or felony, probation, for a prior criminal conviction.
At the Friday preliminary, testimonies of the police officers, whose cars the defendant rammed, were presented.
One police officer testified he and another officer approached accused’s car from the rear of the left and right side. In order to escape, the accused put his vehicle in reverse and stuck the officer’s car while backing out.
The officer testified he arrested Trujillo after he rammed two police vehicles and was subdued with “less than lethal munitions” while attempting to escape.
Another testifying officer stated he responded to the incident after receiving a 911 call about a victim suffering several gunshots.
The testifying officer also stated that he saw several people fleeing from the area and, after questioning four of the detained people, their investigation led toward the accused.
After the court heard multiple testimonies from the on-duty officers, having them reenact the scene and showing video recordings, the preliminary hearing was adjourned until this week.
