It was 6:30PM on December 28th when shots fired prompted calls to the Hemet Police 911 call center. When officers arrived to the area of the shooting, the 300 block of North Hamilton Street, they found a 43-year old male with a gunshot wound to the chest. He was transported to the trauma unit at the Riverside University Health System but died from his injuries.
Hemet Police Detectives identified 42-year old Samuel James Wright III, as their suspect. Wright was on parole for a previous assault with a firearm at the time of this shooting and has an extensive criminal history.
The men were familiar with each other through a mutual female friend. The evening of the shooting, the two exchanged words in the roadway, a situation which culminated with Wright shooting the victim in the chest.
Wright was arrested on January 5th , 2021, and booked into the Riverside County Jail for murder where he remains in custody at the time of this writing.
