Murder suspect chased, killed in officer-involved shooting

By Doug Spoon, Editor

Editor's note: Story has been updated with details of the suspect's death.

A Menifee man fled the scene of a fatal shooting in the city Saturday and was killed in an officer-involved shooting in Newport Beach hours later, authorities said.

Jose Velasquez, 45, fled the scene before officers responded to the report of gunshots at about 2:43 a.m. in the 25000 block of Mesa Edge Court, south of Rouse Road and east of Valley Boulevard in the Sun City community, according to a Menifee Police Department news release.

Responding officers arrived to discover a female dead of a gunshot wound. She was later identified as 38-year-old Temecula resident Storm Wolf, an acquaintance of Velasquez. Detectives determined that Velasquez may have traveled to the city of Santa Ana.

Santa Ana Police were contacted for assistance in locating the suspect. They located Velasquez in his vehicle and attempted to make an arrest. This resulted in a vehicle pursuit that ended in Newport Beach, where an officer-involved shooting occurred. Velasquez was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Orange County Register reported that the shooting ended when Velasquez drove his vehicle onto the Newport Beach pier in full view of shocked bystanders. “The suspect did not fire at law enforcement, but he exited the vehicle armed with a firearm," Santa Ana police spokesperson Natalie Garcia said in the Register article, which can be found here.

“This investigation is ongoing and a motive for Velasquez’s actions is unknown at this time,” the Menifee PD news release stated. “Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Flores at Wflores@menifeepolice.org or 951-723-1663.”