Who Was Ronil Singh? Police Officer Fatally Shot During Traffic Stop

A search is on for the suspect who shot and killed a Stanislaus County, California, police officer during a traffic stop in Newman early Wednesday morning.

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department said officer Ronil Singh pulled over a truck for not having any plates. After a while he called out “shots fired” over the radio and went silent. Multiple agencies reached the scene and found the 33-year-old officer with gunshot wounds. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead. While the suspect vehicle was found, the unidentified suspect is still on the run.

“Working on a tip, detectives served a search warrant in the 26000 block of River Road just outside of Newman. The truck has been recovered and is being processed for evidence. The Sheriff's Department has set up a tip line and are continuing to ask for the public's help in identifying the suspect. The phone number is 209-525-7202,” the department posted on Facebook.

Photographs of the suspect obtained from CCTV cameras at a store minutes before the incident was released by the department. Sgt. Tom Letras, a spokesman of Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department said the suspect’s name was not known and was last seen wearing jeans, navy blue hoodie and a navy blue t-shirt. He had short hair and was wearing a thick chain.

Investigation is on to find out the exact reason behind the incident.

Singh was a native of Fiji and joined the Newman Police Department in 2011. He was one of 13 sworn officers in the department. Prior to joining the department, he served at the Merced County Sheriff’s Office. He lived in Modesto, California, and was survived by his wife and a year-old son. His uncle Ugesh Singh said the officer was “working overtime on Christmas night to provide the best for his family.”

Newman Police Chief Randy Richardson said, “Our Newman Police family is devastated by the loss of Ronil. If anyone has any information regarding the identity of the suspect, please contact law enforcement immediately so we can get this cop-killer off the streets,” CBS Local reported.

California Gov. Jerry Brown expressed his condolences and said, “On behalf of all Californians, Anne and I extend our condolences to Corporal Singh’s wife, young son, loved ones and colleagues. Our hearts are with the entire community of Newman and law enforcement officers across the state who risk their lives every day to protect and serve the people of California.”

Sharing his experience with the officer, Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department spokesperson Raj Singh said, "He was living the American dream. He immigrated here from the Fiji islands, just like my parents did, and was definitely enjoying the American dream. He loved camping. He loved hunting. He loved fishing. He loved his family. He loved visiting them back in Fiji. He loved having his family come over here."