May 14, 2023 - Riverside County Sheriff’s Office officials report that on Friday, May 12, 2023, at 9:15 a.m., deputies assigned to the Hemet Sheriff’s Station responded to a mobile home located in the 42000 Block of State Highway 74, East Hemet, regarding a man who just broke into a vacant mobile home at that location. The man, Steven Foster, a white 65-year-old resident of Hemet, was a former tenant of the same mobile home and had been recently evicted by the property owner.

Foster threatened to be in possession of a firearm and was believed to be mentally unstable. When deputies arrived, they confirmed that a break-in had occurred, and Foster was still inside with a firearm. The deputies summoned the Sheriff’s SWAT team, the Crisis Negotiation Team, and Community Behavioral Health Assessment Team to assist with de-escalating the situation and to take Foster safely into custody.

During the negotiation Foster fired his firearm toward the deputies striking a Sheriff’s vehicle with several deputies nearby. After an hours-long negotiation, Foster was taken into custody without further incident. He was taken to a local hospital for medical evaluation. Foster will be charged with the attempted murder of a peace officer and being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm. No deputies or civilians were injured during the incident.

Anyone with information on this case is encouraged to call Investigator Bryan Jauert at the Hemet Sheriff’s Station by calling (951) 791-3400.

Reporting Deputy: Sergeant Matthew Cramer

File # D231320011

Source: Riverside County Sheriff’s Office