Dec. 26--A Riverside County sheriff's deputy shot and killed a man Thursday morning in a residential area of Coachella after a struggle for her baton, officials said.
At 11:30 a.m. on Christmas, a deputy responded to a call from a resident in the Bella Canto neighborhood who said a man had come into their home and attacked them, Sgt. Mike Manning said in a prepared statement.
The deputy saw the man on Shadowrock Drive, where he "refused to comply with commands," Manning said. He "advanced toward her, taking a fighting stance," and "aggressively continued toward her" after the deputy asked him several times to stop.
The deputy "used her baton in an attempt to protect herself from the attacking suspect," Manning said. The man and the deputy struggled for her baton, and she shot him.
Neighbor Mariana Rosado told the Palm Springs Desert Sun that she saw a wounded man lying on his back in the street as a deputy performed CPR.
The man died at a nearby hospital. His name will not be released until his family has been notified, officials said. The Riverside County coroner did not return a request seeking comment.
Officials did not say whether the man was armed.
The deputy, who has not been identified, was not injured. She has been placed on paid administrative leave while the shooting is investigated, Manning said.
Anyone with information about the shooting is encouraged to call Investigator Alfaro at the Central Homicide Unit: (760) 393-3528.
