An allegedly armed 15-year-old was fatally shot by deputies in Apple Valley over the weekend.
The incident happened at around 4:45 p.m., when San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department deputies were dispatched to the 13400 block of Iroquois Road, according to a statement from Sheriff Shanon Dicus.
Family members had reportedly called 911 to report that the teenager, identified as Ryan Gainer, was "actively assaulting family members and damaging property at the residence."
Responding deputies were allegedly confronted by Gainer when they arrived at the home.
They say that he was armed with "an approximate five-foot-long garden tool, with a sharp bladed end" and that "without provocation, Gainer raised the bladed end of the tool and ran toward the deputy."
The statement alleged that the deputy retreated, but that Gainer chased him to try and assault him with the tool in hand.
It was then that the deputy opened fire, striking Gainer. He was treated at the scene by deputies before being rushed to the hospital by paramedics. He was later pronounced dead.
The incident is being investigated by the SBSD Specialized Investigations Division.
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Sheriff Dicus issued a statement on Sunday in regards to the shooting.
"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," his statement said. 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."
Anyone with further information is urged to contact detectives at (909) 890-4904.
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