Deputies shot and wounded a knife-wielding man after they say he charged toward them during an encounter in Hesperia on Saturday.
The incident began just before 10 a.m. Aug. 15, when deputies responded to reports of “a male adult armed with a knife that was covered in blood” in the area of Main Street and Escondido Avenue, according to a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department statement.
Deputies found the man and ordered him to drop the blade, authorities said. He refused and fled into the nearby California Aqueduct.
Deputies tried to pull the man from the water with a rope, but were not able to, officials said. Eventually, the man used a ladder to climb out on his own..
“The subject continued to refuse deputies’ commands and advanced toward them,” according to the statement. “A deputy involved shooting occurred, and the subject was struck by gunfire.”
Paramedics rushed the wounded suspect to a trauma center by helicopter for treatment.
An update on his condition was not available, and his identity was not yet released.
No deputies were hurt during the encounter.
“The scene remains active, and the investigation is ongoing,” the sheriff’s department stated. “Additional details will be released when they become available.”
Anyone with information was urged to contact the Sheriff’s Specialized Investigation Division at (909) 890-4904. Information may also be provided anonymously to the WeTip hotline at (844) 909-3096.
(This story will be updated as additional information becomes available.)
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This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Officials: Knife-wielding suspect shot by deputies in Hesperia
Reporting by Brian Day, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brian Day, Victorville Daily Press | USA TODAY Network
