A San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a 15-year-old boy over the weekend after he charged at law enforcement with a bladed garden tool, according to the department.
The shooting happened shortly before 5 p.m. Saturday after the Apple Valley Police Department responded to a call at a home on the 13400 block of Iroquois Road. There, the caller reported that 15-year-old Ryan Gainer was “actively assaulting family members and damaging property at the residence.”
A responding sheriff’s deputy arrived at the scene and met Gainer, who the department said was armed with a 5-foot-long garden tool that had a sharp-bladed end. According to the sheriff’s department, Gainer ran toward the deputy and chased him while armed. In response, the deputy shot the teenager.
Gainer received medical aid before he was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died.
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The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department did not identify the deputy who shot Gainer. The case is now under investigation by the Sheriff’s Specialized Investigations Division.
The agency released video of the response from a deputy's body-worn camera.
“Our social safety net for those experiencing mental illness needs to be strengthened," Sheriff Shannon Dicus said in a statement. "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."
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Anyone with information on the case is encouraged to contact Detective Shawn Thurman or Sergeant Justin Giles at the Specialized Investigations Division at 909-890-4904. Anonymous tips can be made by contacting 1-800-78CRIME.
