CNN
—
A California sheriff's deputy shot and killed an autistic teenager over the weekend as he was holding garden tools, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department and family attorney.
Attorney DeWitt M. Lacey said the “dramatic” incident at 15-year-old Ryan Gaynor's family home had already subsided before authorities arrived on the scene.
According to a sheriff's department news release on Sunday, Apple Valley sheriff's deputies responded to a 911 call from Gaynor's family on March 9 at approximately 4:48 p.m. Pacific time, saying Gaynor was “actively trying to protect his family.” He assaulted her and caused damage to property in the residence.”
In audio of the 911 call released by the sheriff's office, a woman can be heard describing the incident and reporting “assault and assault.” She suggested that Gaynor broke the window.
“They have to take him,” a woman can be heard saying in the audio.
“At approximately 4:54 p.m., a first deputy arrived at the residence and confronted Gainer, who was armed with a garden tool approximately 5 feet long with a sharp edge,” the release states. Gaynor then raised the tool blade and ran toward the deputy, who tried to retreat, the release states.
The suspect allegedly tried to assault Gaynor, and the suspect shot him, according to the release. Deputies provided medical treatment to Gaynor at the scene before he was taken to the hospital, where he “subsequently succumbed to his injuries,” the release states.
Authorities release body camera video
Body camera video released by the sheriff's office on Wednesday shows the deputy walking up to the doorway of the home before Gaynor is seen holding what authorities say is a frying pan and garden tools. ing. The deputy says, “Hey, get back. You're going to get shot!”
Body camera footage from another responding deputy shows Gaynor running toward the deputy while the deputy points the gun at the teen and flees. San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said at a press conference Wednesday that a preliminary investigation revealed that both deputies fired shots, and that three shots were fired.
After Gaynor was shot, family members can be heard screaming in the background of the video.
As deputies called for support from loved ones, a family member could be heard saying, “Why did you shoot my baby?” Another asked why a Taser wasn't used instead.
Deputies can be seen in a video rendering assisting Gaynor before the fire department arrived on the scene.
Dikas said deputies have been called to the home five times in the past, and Gaynor has previously been transferred to a mental health facility. He said no force was used in previous interactions with the boy.
Dikas said it was unclear whether responding deputies were aware of law enforcement's past interactions with the teen.He did not mention Gaynor's autism. However, he addressed his mental health history at a press conference.
“Why should law enforcement end up getting involved in these crises, especially if we end up pushing these people out of social services that are supposed to be designed to care for their mental health? “There is no need for this,” Dicas said. previous comment He made it on social media.
Dicas said seconds passed after the deputy arrived on the scene and Gaynor was shot.
“What we really need to consider is that even if we have the best medical care and the best psychologists in that moment-to-moment interaction… there are no magic words. “We pay law enforcement officers to stop this,” he said.
Lacey, the family lawyer, told CNN that prior to law enforcement's response, Gaynor was upset that he wasn't allowed to listen to music on his laptop, a hobby he enjoyed. That's what it means. The boy was told to do his own chores first, he added.
“For most parents, it's normal discipline, but it's fair to say that it will provoke a more dramatic reaction for someone with autism,” he says.
In response, Gaynor struck her sister in the arm with his hand, took a gardening tool from the garden and used the end of it to break the glass on the front door, Lacey said.
At some point, the family called 911, but the boy eventually calmed down, apologized and said he had hurt himself, police said.
Lacey said her cousin, who was also at the home, called authorities and told them the situation was under control, but deputies had already been sent.
Lacey said the deputy “immediately” drew his weapon on the boy. “The deputy displayed a threatening behavior and clearly escalated the situation,” the attorney added.
Lacey said it's unclear whether the family told authorities that Gaynor was autistic, but said at least two deputies who responded knew him to some degree. CNN asked the sheriff's office about these claims.
“They had a background, a relationship, a trust with the family. That's what the family thought,” Lacey said.
Gaynor enjoyed running and used it as a coping mechanism when he was stressed, Lacey said.
He wanted to be an engineer and came from a “fun-loving family,” Lacey said. “It's a tragedy that this happened to them,” he added.
“There are no winners or losers in a situation like this,” the sheriff said. “The reality is that Ryan's family and the deputy sheriffs involved in this case are going to have to remember this for the rest of their lives.”
