A Santa Clara County Sheriff’s deputy who claimed he was shot from a passing car last year was charged Friday with fabricating that ambush, the district attorney’s office announced.
Deputy Sukhdeep Gill, 27, reported that he had been shot on January 31 as he stood on a dark, rural road near Morgan Hill.
Officers from the Sheriff’s Office and the San Jose, Morgan Hill and Gilroy police departments responded.
Officials said it appeared that Gill had been shot once, with the bullet miraculously hitting and destroying his body-worn camera.
The deputy told officers that he had parked on the shoulder to urinate and was shot at from a silver sedan when he walked back towards the driver side of his patrol car. Gill said he fired two shots back at the vehicle.
The incident triggered a manhunt for the shooter.
However, the district attorney’s office said Gill’s story fell apart during an investigation.
“This case is bewildering and deeply disappointing,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. “Deputy Gill’s actions abused the trust of his fellow officers and diverted public safety resources away from protecting the community to investigate a made-up crime.”
Gill was placed on administrative leave pending the investigation, according to the sheriff’s department.
Gill was arrested Friday after a warrant was issued, and was charged with felony vandalism and falsely reporting a crime. Sheriff’s officials said he was booked into the Main Jail.
The deputy has been with the sheriff’s department since 2016.
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