Desmond Dyas Jr., a 28-year-old father from Hemet, California, was killed in a shooting outside The Bank, a Mexican restaurant and bar on Old Town Front Street in Temecula, on January 9, 2022. He had been visiting the establishment to celebrate a recent promotion and became involved in an altercation. According to reports, Desmond tried to intervene in a fight when one of the individuals opened fire, striking him and two other patrons. Despite efforts to save him, he died at the scene.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said surveillance footage and witness statements helped identify suspects. Authorities arrested 24-year-old Kevin Hatchett Jr. of Wildomar and 21-year-old Nickolas Trichanh of Corona. Hatchett was charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder and held on $1 million bail; Trichanh was charged as an accessory to murder and held on $500,000 bail. Family members believe Desmond was targeted after trying to break up the fight, and witnesses reported the shooter initially fled then returned and fired additional shots as Desmond lay on the ground.

Desmond was a father to a 4-year-old daughter and was remembered as kind and caring. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Department.