Tulare County Sheriff Identifies Suspect Killed in Ivanhoe Officer-Involved Shooting
IVANHOE, CA — The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office has named 32-year-old Rigoberto Lopez Jr. as the suspect in a fatal officer-involved shooting that took place on Thursday, July 17, 2025. The incident concluded a search for Lopez, a parolee wanted for an attempted murder earlier in the month.
Lopez, a documented member of the South Side Kings street gang, was convicted of murder in 2010 and later paroled in February 2024. A parole hold was issued in December 2024 after he removed his state-mandated GPS ankle monitor and failed to contact his parole officer. The U.S. Marshals Service subsequently became involved in the effort to apprehend him.
In July 2025, authorities received a tip that Lopez had returned to Tulare County and was the prime suspect in an attempted murder on July 7, where a victim was allegedly shot in the face. Detectives located Lopez at an apartment complex, and after an extended period of attempting to get him to surrender, they entered the residence. Lopez was found concealed behind a built-in cabinet. He began firing a handgun at detectives, who then returned fire.
Lopez was later found unresponsive and was pronounced deceased at the scene. A preliminary investigation suggests he died from gunshot wounds sustained during the exchange of gunfire.
