Deputies used Bearcat 3 times on man in killing of California deputy, video shows
Kern County deputies in a Bearcat used the armored police vehicle three times to run over a suspect following the fatal shooting of a Tulare County Sheriff’s Office deputy last month, according to video released Tuesday.
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office armored vehicle can be seen in the video from about 1 p.m April 9 as it struck a tree between homes in a neighborhood near Newcomb Street and Grand Avenue in Porterville, drone video shows. The suspect later identified as 59-year-old David Morales was not visible in footage during the first two attempts.
On the third use-of-force in the Bearcat, the camera appears to have caught Morales lying on his side and attempting to reach for a handgun on his waist, according to the video’s narration. It was not immediately clear if the Bearcat struck Morales on the first two attempts, but the third attempt shows him under its tires.
Morales, who the sheriff’s office said killed Deputy Randy Hoppert, 35, continued to fire at the Bearcat as it approached, according to the video’s narration. It appears to show a bullet strike the vehicle’s window.
The video also shows a still photo of the Bearcat where the Sheriff’s Office said the round struck.
Morales was killed in the third attempt by the Bearcat drivers. Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux expressed no remorse over the death of the armed suspect.
“ He got what he deserved,” Boudreaux said in a news conference shortly after it happened.
The use-of-force followed a standoff of about three hours in which Morales wore camouflage and moved about multiple homes while firing at law enforcement, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The killing of Tulare County Deputy Randy Hoppert
Deputies were at the home on the day of the killing to serve to Morales an eviction notice about 10:20 a.m. April 9 before hearing gunfire, the Sheriff’s Office has said. Hoppert, who was the grandson of former Tulare County Undersheriff Doyle Hoppert, was not at the scene during the initial gunfire and was killed after responding to a shots-fired call in the area.
Public records show Morales lived most recently at 1713 Brian Avenue in Porterville, where deputies came into contact with him. He had defaulted on the loan and the foreclosure was filed Oct. 30, according to public records.
Morales had three previous bankruptcies, according to records, but the Sheriff’s Office said he had no criminal record.
Eighteen handguns were legally registered to Morales, Boudreaux said, but he did not legally own any rifles like the one used against deputies.
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