Sgt. Dominic Vaca

Officer: San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, Sergeant Dominic Vaca

Date: 5/31/2021          Location: Yucca Valley, CA FACTORS (1,2,7,8,15)

Perpetrator(s) Involved: Bilal Winston Shabazz

Criminal Activity History/Involved: Yes, Shabazz had a no-bail warrant./Yes, Shabazz was operating a motor vehicle without a plate

Mental Illness: None stated.

Substance Abuse History/Involved: Unknown./None stated.

Race/Sex/Age: Black/Male/29

What prompted the initial contact with the killer? At around 12:33 p.m. on May 31, 2021, deputies attempted to stop a motorcycle being operated by Bilal Shabazz that did not have a license plate.

Actions taken by subject toward police: Shabazz refused to pull over and fled from the deputies. After fleeing, Shabazz ditched the bike and waited in ambush and shot at the deputies when they stopped at his abandoned motorcycle and looked for him. Sergeant Vaca was fatally struck by Shabazz’s gunfire.

Reactions by the police: Other deputies continued pursuing Shabazz who then shot at them as well. The deputies returned fire, killing Shabazz.

How murdered? Sergeant Vaca was ambushed while searching for a motorcyclist that fled from a lawful vehicle and traffic stop for an equipment violation.

What could have been done differently for the officer to still be alive? If someone is lying in wait to ambush an officer it is pretty difficult to defend against, which is why our courts need to do a better job incarcerating or institutionalizing those who are violent when they are caught the first time.

Would the officer have been justified to use deadly force before being murdered? It appears Sgt. Vaca did not see Shabazz before he was ambushed by him.

Outcome for the cop-killer: Shabazz was justifiably killed during the shootout with police.

Miscellaneous: Reporting does not show anything about the particulars of Shabazz’s criminal history.