Richmond police have released drone footage showing how officers found and arrested a man now charged with murder in a killing that had gone unsolved for nearly a year.
Joshawn Harris, 29, was taken into custody on Sept. 30 outside the Richmond BART station on Macdonald Avenue. The department released the video this week, Richmondside reported.
A cold case and a burst of gunfire
Josue Cornejo, 23, was shot and killed just before 6 a.m. on Nov. 17, 2025, on the 1400 block of Bissell Avenue, not far from his family's home. Police were sent to the scene after the city's ShotSpotter system picked up the gunfire, and Cornejo was pronounced dead there. His family said he was shot in the back while out on a walk and that nothing was taken from him. In December, police released a surveillance image of a masked person of interest, but no arrest followed.
The break came from a separate investigation. On Sept. 25, 26 and 28, Richmond officers responded to ShotSpotter alerts and reports of gunfire in which occupied vehicles were hit, according to the Richmond Standard. No injuries were reported. Detectives concluded one person was behind all three incidents, and homicide investigators found that their prime suspect in Cornejo's death was the same man.
How the arrest happened
Citing an urgent threat to public safety, police tracked a possible location for Harris near the BART station and sent a drone as a first responder. The drone spotted him standing outside the station around noon and guided the SWAT team to him. Richmondside reported that officers set off a smoke device before surrounding him, and police said he was arrested without incident. Officers said they recovered a firearm fitted with a high-capacity drum magazine.
The charges
Contra Costa prosecutors have charged Harris with 11 felonies: murder, six counts of assault tied to the September shootings and four gun possession counts, according to reporting summarized by Patch. Reported bail figures have varied between outlets, ranging from $4 million to $6.5 million. Police have not said what motive they believe was behind the shootings.
Patch reported that court records show Harris has prior felony convictions, including a 2022 conviction for pimping. It's unclear whether he and Cornejo knew each other.
The arrest is one of the more visible uses of drones by Richmond police, whose drone program has drawn debate at City Hall in recent months.