San Bernardino County officials say 60-year-old Shukur Aikebaer was allegedly shot and forced into a car after stepping outside to check an electrical panel during a power outage on July 29. Deputies pursued the vehicle; the driver reportedly fired into the trunk where the victim was being held and was struck by returning gunfire. Both Aikebaer and the driver were pronounced dead at the scene, and the passenger was arrested on suspicion of murder and kidnapping. Detectives searched the suspects' Irvine home and are probing motive and the cause of the outage.
Power Outage Sparks Fatal Kidnapping, Trunk Shooting and Short Chase in San Bernardino County
Chino Hills kidnapping scene.Credit: NBC LA
San Bernardino County authorities say 60-year-old Shukur Aikebaer was allegedly shot and abducted outside his home after he stepped outside to inspect an electrical panel during a power outage on the night of July 29.
What investigators say happened
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department announced on July 31 that deputies responded around 10:14 p.m. to the 2100 block of Monteverde Drive after residents reported gunfire and someone screaming. Officials allege brothers Zhengfeng Bo, 67, and Jianquan Bo, 66, shot Aikebaer and forced him into a car.
Deputies observed a vehicle speeding away and attempted a traffic stop. The car led authorities on a short pursuit before stopping in the 2400 block of Wandering Ridge Drive. When the vehicle stopped, the passenger, Jianquan Bo, surrendered. Investigators say the driver, Zhengfeng Bo, refused commands, approached the open trunk and fired into it while Aikebaer was being held inside.
"I was in the garage and I heard two or three shots," a nearby neighbor told KTLA. "When I heard the shots, I turned around and I heard somebody yelling, 'Help me, help me!'"
Deputies returned fire and struck Zhengfeng. When officers opened the trunk they found Aikebaer suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite lifesaving efforts at the scene, both Aikebaer and Zhengfeng were pronounced dead, the sheriff’s department said.
Investigation and arrest
Detectives later searched the Irvine home shared by the two brothers with assistance from the Irvine Police Department and recovered evidence, officials said. Jianquan was arrested and booked into the West Valley Detention Center on suspicion of murder and kidnapping and remains in custody without bail.
The sheriff’s department said detectives learned Aikebaer and Zhengfeng had known each other through a prior working relationship. Investigators are continuing to examine the sequence of events and what caused the power outage that preceded the alleged kidnapping.
The investigation is ongoing. Authorities have not released additional details about the recovered evidence or any charges beyond those already announced.
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