Paola Minero, 23, of Desert Hot Springs was shot and killed on January 13, 2019, in the parking lot of the Big 5 Sporting Goods on Date Palm Drive in Cathedral City. Riverside County Sheriff’s Department reports that 28-year-old Roberto Tapia of La Quinta shot Minero at about 4:46 p.m. When a Cathedral City officer arrived on a disturbance call, the officer witnessed Tapia fatally shooting Minero. Tapia then fired at the officer, striking the police car multiple times. The officer returned fire, wounding Tapia, who was taken to a hospital and later died.

Minero and Tapia were estranged parents of three children; investigators described the episode as a domestic dispute that escalated into deadly violence. The responding officer sustained minor injuries. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department opened an investigation and asked anyone with information to come forward.

If anyone has information about the events that led to the shooting or knew Minero and Tapia’s situation, please share what you know.