A woman armed with a knife in San Bernardino County was shot by police after threatening her own life and lighting the inside of a vehicle on fire at a gas station earlier this year, officials announced.
According to a critical incident briefing released by the Colton Police Department, 911 dispatchers received a call from an employee of a Starbucks coffee shop, located at 1181 S. Mt. Vernon Avenue, just before 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 12 who reported an “unhoused woman” outside the door who was armed with a knife.
In footage from the responding officer’s body-worn camera, the officer can be seen talking to the woman, now identified as 36-year-old Riverside resident Leandra Michelle Guerrero, and an unidentified male, letting them know that her behavior was scaring store employees.
The male, who appeared to be accompanying Guerrero, told the officer that he was taking her home.
A little less than an hour later, at 12:20 a.m. on Feb. 13, Colton PD received reports of a woman armed with a knife at an Arco gas station at 1240 E. Washington Street, about a half mile away from the Starbucks.
In that instance, the caller reported that Guerrero, still armed with the knife, was walking in out and of the store and approaching customers at the gas pumps. Surveillance footage from the business showed her attempting to get inside customers’ vehicles as well.
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A 36-year-old woman who was armed with a knife and lit a vehicle on fire in Colton was shot by police on Feb. 13, 2025. (Colton PD) -
A 36-year-old woman who was armed with a knife and lit a vehicle on fire in Colton was shot by police on Feb. 13, 2025. (Colton PD) -
A 36-year-old woman who was armed with a knife and lit a vehicle on fire in Colton was shot by police on Feb. 13, 2025. (Colton PD) -
A knife recovered at the scene of a police shooting in Colton on Feb. 13, 2025. (Colton PD)
When police arrived at the location, the 36-year-old had gotten into a white SUV, shut the door and refused to exit the vehicle.
Body-worn footage shows officers standing outside of the SUV while Guerrero was reportedly lighting the inside of the car on fire and holding a knife to her own throat.
“She is trying to light something on fire inside the vehicle,” an officer is heard saying before reporting to dispatch, “She is trying to slice her throat.”
Police said the 36-year-old, armed with the knife, exited the vehicle toward the officers prompting them to both shoot her with a firearm and what appeared to be a stun gun that was dropped on the ground.
Guerrero, struck by gunfire, knelt to the ground before sitting down.
Police rendered medical aid to the woman while the fire, which had ignited inside the car not far from the gas pumps, was safely extinguished.
Paramedics responded to the scene and rushed the 26-year-old woman to the hospital where she was listed in stable condition.
The knife was also recovered at the scene, police said.
No officers or other citizens were injured during the incident. Guerrero was eventually taken into custody and booked on charges of assault on a peace officer, resisting arrest, carjacking, robbery and arson.
The sheriff’s department as well as the district attorney’s office in San Bernardino County are investigating the officer-involved shooting. Colton PD is also conducting its own internal review of the incident.
