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Vigilante shot at deputies thinking he shot at suspects, San Joaquin County Sheriff says
STOCKTON – A suspect search in San Joaquin County nearly ended in tragedy early Thursday morning when a vigilante allegedly shot at deputies.
The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office says, just before 1:30 a.m., deputies showed up at the Pick-N-Pull along Clark Drive in Stockton to investigate an alarm. Three suspects were seen running from the property, deputies say.
Two deputies chased after the suspects, following them along the nearby canal. The deputies eventually took cover behind a cement fence separating a Buddhist temple from a home in the area.
At the same time, the sheriff's office says a homeowner got an alert from his front door security camera. The homeowner appears to have called his grandson for help instead of calling law enforcement.
The bullet hole from one of the shots the vigilante fired at deputies. San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office
Armed with an AR-15, the homeowner's grandson got in a golf cart and also started searching the area.
The grandson soon ran into the deputies at the temple property – but apparently didn't know they were law enforcement officers. Before they could announce their presence, the sheriff's office says the grandson racked a round and fired two shots at the deputies.
Both deputies restrained from returning fire and instead took cover. They then issued commands at the grandson, who reportedly complied without further incident and was taken into custody. His name has not been released.
"This incident underscores the vital importance of allowing trained law enforcement to handle dangerous situations. Taking the law into your own hands can escalate conflicts and lead to tragic outcomes," the sheriff's office said in a statement.
Highlighting how close the deputies came to harm, the sheriff's office says one shot had struck the cement wall just below where the deputies were looking over.
No description has been released of the suspects that the deputies were originally searching for.
