Bilal Winston Shabazz Of Lancaster Identified As Shooter Who Killed San Bernardino County Sheriff's Sgt. Dominic Vaca

YUCCA VALLEY (CBSLA) — Authorities identified a 29-year-old Lancaster man as the suspect who died in a Memorial Day shootout that also killed a San Bernardino County sheriff's sergeant.

(credit: San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department)

Bilal Winston Shabazz had been wanted on a no-bail warrant out of Los Angeles County when he was spotted riding a street-legal motorcycle but no license plate, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. Shabazz refused to yield to a traffic stop, touching off the pursuit.

Shabazz abandoned the motorcycle and ran through the properties of several homes. When sheriff's Sgt. Dominic Vaca tried to detain Shabazz, Shabazz shot at him, sheriff's officials said.

San Bernardino County Sheriff's Sgt. Dominic Vaca was shot and killed by a suspect following a pursuit in Yucca Valley, Calif., on May 31, 2021. (San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department)

Vaca was hit by the gunfire, and shortly airlifted to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

After the shooting, authorities say Shabazz kept running and fired at other responding deputies, who fired back. Shabazz was hit by gunfire and pronounced dead at the scene. Sheriff's officials say a loaded handgun was found next to Shabazz, who also had two more magazines containing ammunition on him.

The motive for the shooting remains under investigation, and anyone with information or was a witness can contact Detective Edward Hernandez at (909) 387-3589.

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