Bodycam footage of deadly deputy-involved shooting in Palm Springs released

The Riverside County Sheriff's Department has released bodycam footage of a deadly deputy-involved shooting that occurred in October on Interstate 10 in Palm Springs.



Authorities previously said that a suspect shot at a Banning Police Officer after midnight during a traffic stop on Highway 243 on Oct. 14, 2021. The suspect fled the scene, a police pursuit began after he was found driving eastbound on the 10 freeway towards Palm Springs.

An officer-involved shooting took place after the suspect stopped his vehicle on the offramp, where he was found dead after officers approached him.

Bodycam footage shows the moments when the suspect's vehicle was pulling off of the I-10 onto N Indian Canyon. Beaumont Police officers are pursuing the vehicle. An officer can be seen holding his handgun out of the window.

The sheriff's department says he shot several times at police officers during the pursuit before he exited on North Indian Canyon Drive.

Moments later, the officer trades gunshots with the suspect as the vehicles continue to make their way down the exit.


On the bodycam for the second Beaumont Police officer, you can see bullet holes that went through the windshield of their police vehicle as the officer shoots at the suspect.

The body shows police units continue to be struck by gunfire as the officer in the video reloads his handgun.

The suspect attempts to escape and continue the pursuit, but ends up off the road and crashes into a fence. You can continue to hear gunfire after the vehicle crashes.

Officers confirm that the suspect is still moving and call for him to show them their hands.

The Sheriff's Department then cuts to the body cam video of a deputy who is arriving at the scene. The deputy gets on scene and shots are heard shortly after they step out of the vehicle. You can hear more faint gunfire in the background. The deputy calls out to dispatch, informing them that shots continue to be fired as they call for everyone to get in cover.

Multiple gunshots can then be heard as the deputy gets behind a police vehicle.

Helicopter infrared video shows the suspect was still moving inside the vehicle. The vehicle captures the suspect appearing to wave their hands out of the window, the suspect then disappears from view momentarily. They then show a weapon out of the same window.

The suspect is then moving around the vehicle before he appears to pass out.

The Sheriff's Dept.'s video then cuts to the body cam of three different deputies at the scene back with crashed suspect vehicle. Deputies point out that he's got something in his hands. While calling for medical and discussing what to do next, the deputies are told to shoot once again.

The suspect was later identified as Russell Leggett, 30, of Idyllwild. Bianco confirmed that Leggett was struck by gunfire and died at the scene.

Bianco said authorities recovered a .224 semi-automatic ghost rifle and a 9MM semi-automatic ghost handgun inside Leggett's vehicle. Neither weapon had serial numbers, which is why they were considered "ghost guns" as they cannot be identified.

No deputies or police officers were injured during the shooting.

There are currently multiple investigation still underway on the incident.