Ryan Gainer: California deputies kill 15-year-old armed with garden tool in Apple Valley
APPLE VALLEY, Calif. - Deputies in Apple Valley shot and killed a 15-year-old boy with autism, after he ran towards them armed with a garden tool, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department announced.
The shooting happened just before 5 p.m. on Saturday. Deputies were called out to a home in the 13400 block of Iroquois Road, after a 911 call reported that someone, identified by deputies as Ryan Gainer, was attacking his family members and causing damage to the home.
The SBSD released partial body camera footage of the incident Sunday. The footage showed the incident from two separate deputies' perspectives. In one video, a deputy is shown trying to enter the home. That's when Gainer is seen running towards the deputy, with something in his hands. Deputies described it as a "five-foot-long garden tool, with a sharp bladed end." The deputy runs away, while pointing his gun at Rainer, shouting, "get back! Get back. You're gonna get shot!" The video cuts off after that.
Teen with autism shot, killed by deputies
A teenager with autism was shot and killed by deputies in Apple Valley. In the video, the 15-year-old boy, who was armed with a garden tool, charged toward the deputies before getting shot. The family's lawyer claims the teen was in the middle of an episode when the incident broke out.
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The second video shows the viewpoint of a deputy approaching the house from the street. In it, the first deputy is seen running away from Gainer, pointing his gun behind him as he runs. The video then ends.
Deputies shot Gainer. Paramedics then took him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
In a statement Sunday night, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said "Our social safety net for those experiencing mental illness needs to be strengthened. Our deputies handle seemingly insurmountable calls daily. Most of these calls do not end in violence. However, this one ended in tragedy for Ryan, his family, and for the deputies who responded. Rapidly evolving, violent encounters are some of the most difficult, requiring split-second decisions. While these decisions are lawful, they are awful in terms of our humanity. I feel for both Ryan’s family and my deputies who will struggle with this for their entire lives."
The SBSD's Specialized Investigations Division is now investigating the shooting. Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at 909-890-4904, or submit tips anonymously through We-Tip at 800-78-CRIME (27463) or wetip.com.