Amid the pop performances and pageantry of the Rose Parade on Monday, Jan. 2, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Mounted Enforcement Detail walked the parade route with a riderless horse — a solemn tribute to the department’s Deputy Isaiah Cordero, who was shot and killed last week during a traffic stop.
The shooting of the 32-year-old deputy has rippled through law enforcement in the days since, as his story — that of an up-and-coming young motorcycle deputy surrounded by fellow deputies who consider him “their little brother” — spread across the region.
He was shot and killed Thursday, Dec. 29, after pulling over a pickup just before 2 p.m. in Jurupa Valley. As he approached the vehicle, the driver pulled a gun and shot him, authorities said.
- Read more Rose Parade coverage here.
The driver, identified as 44-year-old William Shae McKay, was shot and killed in Norco at the end of a massive pursuit through the Inland Empire.
On Monday morning, the mounted detail marched the 5.5.-mile route. Deputies waved to the crowd, and smiled. Those crowed along Colorado Boulevard clapped as the group passed. But ever present out front was a saddled, riderless black horse escorted by Assistant Sheriff David Lelevier.
“We haven’t had a deputy killed in the line of duty in 20 years,” Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco by phone after the parade. “We got a very warm reception from the crowd.”
The loss, he said, has been traumatic for the department.
Cordero’s family was watching the parade on TV, Bianco added.
The riderless horse symbolism is used for the department’s memorials in downtown Riverside, Bianco said. Arranging for the entry in the Rose Parade took some last-minute arrangements, he said.
“One of the deputies on our (mounted detail) team arranged for the riderless horse ceremonies and she made sure the horse was available and approached the Rose Parade Committee,” Bianco said. “There’s a lot that goes into getting a horse into the parade and they were especially generous and accommodated us with those rules.”
The detail, comprised of specially trained sworn personnel from the department, was established in 2021.
Its mission is to assist and complement the Sheriff’s Department and support civic activities, including charity events, tactical rescues, memorial and honor deployments and educational events. The unit includes a variety of traditional American equine breeds.
On Friday, Dec. 30, the pre-parade, annual equestrian event, called Equestfest, paid tribute to Cordero with a moment of silence.
The Riverside County Deputy Sheriff Relief Foundation has started a “Help A Hero” page, on which people can make donations to Cordero’s family.
Funeral services for the deputy are scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 6, at Harvest Christian Fellowship Church, 6115 Arlington Ave., in Riverside. His interment will be private, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department announced Monday evening.
