ORO GRANDE, Calif. – An off-duty California officer with the Colton Police Department was killed in a negligent shooting incident on Thursday, authorities revealed.
The deceased off-duty officer was identified as Lorenzo Morgan. The fatal encounter occurred on National Trails Highway and Mill Street in Oro Grande, California. The unincorporated community is in the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, located roughly 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles, according to The Sun.
The shooting mishap was reported at 2:46 p.m when a motorist called law enforcement authorities regarding an “accidental shooting.” However, details surrounding Morgan’s death were not immediately revealed. The case is under investigation, according to San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Gloria Huerta.
“Officer L. Morgan was a beloved father, friend, colleague, and a caring officer who loved working for the Colton Community,” the Colton Police Department wrote.
Morgan started his law enforcement career in 2019 and had recently joined the Colten Police Department in May, the New York Post reported.
“The Colton Police Department suffered a tragic loss,” the department said.
Morgan is survived by his parents, fiancé, son, as well as a soon-to-be-born son, Colton Police disclosed.