Clayton said the car had been thoroughly searched both by Duncan at the start of his 12-hour shift and by the officer who last drove it at the end of a prior shift. Huerta was the first person placed in the back seat that night. After the short drive to the police station, Duncan heard a loud gunshot as he pulled into the parking lot and leaped from the vehicle, fearing he was being targeted. The cruiser, which was still in gear, rolled forward until it struck a tree.