Banning double homicide suspect captured in Beaumont after shooting spree

 Photo Credit: Inland News

Banning double homicide suspect captured in Beaumont after shooting spree

Two dead and at least three injured

Written by Trevor Montgomery

For hemeteyenews.com

A MORNING'S PEACE SHATTERED

On Sunday, September 27, 2015, the Banning Police Department identified the suspect in a shooting spree that occurred the previous day, which left the terrified community stunned and wondering why their city had been targeted for the deadly attacks. Two people were killed and three others were injured in the shooting spree.

Police Chief Alex Diaz identified the shooting suspect as James Paul Diaz Jr., a Native American with family in Riverside County. Chief Diaz, who has no relation to the suspect, would not disclose where Diaz Jr. resided or whether he was a member of a local area tribe.

Diaz identified one of the victims as Paul "Joey" Lesh, 66. The name of the other victim was not released, pending notification of the victim's family.

Witness reports from around the area of the shooting spree indicated Diaz Jr. had been seen going door to door in a residential neighborhood while asking residents if they had seen his children. No immediate information was available regarding the status of Diaz Jr.'s children.It was also reported that Diaz Jr. also had tried to gain entrance into a vehicle that had small children inside. Reports indicated Diaz Jr. had damaged the vehicle's door and window in his efforts to get inside, according to police.

Diaz Jr. was later arrested without incident during a traffic stop in the city of Beaumont by Beaumont police officers. 

Booking records indicated Diaz Jr. was booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning on two counts of murder with malice, three counts of using a firearm to commit great bodily injury, one count of attempted murder and one count of assault with a deadly weapon. Diaz Jr. is currently being held without bail, pending his arraignment.

Photo Credit: Inland News

DETAILS OF THE CRIME

Just after 11:30 a.m. on Saturday morning reports of shots fired began pouring into the Banning Police Department's dispatch center. Reports from callers indicated a car on John Street near Hargrave Street had been shot at and there was a victim located in the vehicle slumped over with a gunshot wound. The driver, identified as Lesh, had been killed at the scene. A second unidentified victim, who was inside the vehicle with Lesh at the time of the shooting sustained unknown injuries.

A short time later, another car was shot at not far from the original shooting, near San Gorgonio Avenue and Nicolet Street. A person inside that vehicle was injured, although they were not struck directly by gunfire. It was believed that victim had been struck by flying glass and they later received medical treatment.

Approximately ten minutes later, a man was attacked while sitting inside his parked vehicle in the parking lot of a business located at 22nd Street and Ramsey street. The suspect, who matched the description of Diaz Jr. pistol whipped the victim through their vehicle's open window, striking him repeatedly in the face with the butt of a gun.

Twenty minutes after that incident occurred, police responded to the report of a traffic collision near Lincoln Street and San Gorgonio Avenue, where they located a person with gunshot wounds inside a truck that had smashed into a wall. That person was pronounced dead at the scene. It was believed that shooting incident was also related to Diaz' shooting spree, although forensics would have to later determine if the incidents were actually connected.

Diaz is expected to be arraigned in court on his charges either Monday or Tuesday.

Contact the writer trevor.hemeteyenews@gmail.com