Police killings
2013-2020

Michael Russo

Male, Black

Date of the incident: 2/1/2017

Highland, San Bernardino, CA
777 San Manuel Blvd

Deputies received an alert from an automated license plate reader about a stolen vehicle in the area of Highland and Victoria avenues, police said. Deputies found the vehicle in the parking structure of the San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino and began surveillance. A short time later, deputies watched a man and woman — Michael Russo and Ath Pen — get into the vehicle. When deputies tried to get the pair to get out of the vehicle, the man put it in reverse, striking and dragging a deputy. At least one deputy fired at the vehicle and struck and killed Russo. The vehicle continued to travel at a high rate of speed through the parking structure. As it barreled down a ramp, it smashed into two vehicles and a metal barrier in the structure's second level.