Buena Park, California — A dangerous high-speed chase in Buena Park culminated in a fatal shootout between police officers and Cedric Baxter, a 60-year-old parolee from Compton, after he attempted to kill his estranged wife by shooting at the school bus she was driving.
The event unfolded when an officer on patrol in the area of Orangethorpe and Western Avenues witnessed a silver SUV collide with a school bus. The officer observed the SUV’s driver, later identified as Baxter, pull out a gun and fire at the bus. The bus, driven by Baxter’s estranged wife, had a 6-year-old child on board at the time of the shooting. Miraculously, neither the driver nor the child was injured.
Baxter quickly got back into his vehicle and fled the scene, prompting the officer to initiate a pursuit. The chase weaved through residential streets and busy intersections, heightening the danger to the public. Baxter eventually drove into a parking lot of a school district building, where the confrontation reached its deadly climax.
Body camera footage released by the police shows the intense exchange of gunfire that ensued as Baxter exited his vehicle and began shooting at the officers. The officers, fearing for their lives and the safety of others in the vicinity, returned fire, fatally wounding Baxter.
Buena Park Police Chief Corey Sianez provided additional context, revealing that Baxter had an extensive criminal history and was on parole. Furthermore, he had an active domestic violence restraining order against him, and his parole had been recently revoked prior to the chase.
“This was a dangerous individual who posed a significant threat to the community and to his estranged wife,” Chief Sianez stated. “Our officers acted bravely and decisively to prevent further harm.”
The incident underscores the peril that domestic violence can pose, not only to direct victims but also to the broader community. It also highlights the quick and coordinated response by law enforcement officers in situations where lives are at immediate risk.
The Buena Park Police Department has announced that a thorough investigation is underway to review the details of the shooting. The officers involved have been placed on administrative leave, as per department protocol, pending the outcome of the investigation.
This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the volatile and often unpredictable nature of domestic violence incidents, and the critical role that law enforcement plays in responding to and mitigating such threats.
