(NewsNation) — A California sheriff’s deputy was shot and killed Thursday during a traffic stop. The suspected gunman was later killed following a police chase.

The shooting happened around 2 p.m. when Riverside County Deputy Isaiah Cordero, 32, initiated the traffic stop in the 3900 block of Golden West Avenue in the city of Jurupa Valley, to the east of Los Angeles. As he approached, the driver shot Cordero and drove off, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said at a news conference.

Dozens of officers pursued the suspected gunman, who crashed on Interstate 15. At that point, the suspect, identified as William Shae McKay, shot at police and was killed by return gunfire.

Bianco said McKay had an extensive criminal history and should have been sent to prison under the state’s three-strike law. McKay’s record includes kidnapping, robbery and aggravated assault, Bianco said, and he was accused of stabbing a police K-9 in 2021.

“This terrible tragedy should have been prevented by the legal system,” Bianco said.

“Deputy Cordero put on his uniform daily to make a difference in his community and keep families safe. Deputy Cordero’s death leaves a tremendous hole in the hearts of so many people who had the chance to know him personally,” the Riverside Sheriff’s Association said in a statement. “Today, Deputy Cordero made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty — a debt that can never be repaid.”