UPDATE: The deceased man was identified as 45-year-old Alejandro Diaz. He worked as a deputy with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and was off-duty at the time of the shooting. Read more.
FONTANA, Calif. – A distraught man carrying firearms on a Southern California golf course was fatally shot by responding officers Tuesday afternoon. The deceased individual was later identified as a deputy with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The incident began about 3:45 p.m. near the Sierra Lakes Golf Club in the City of Fontana when authorities received a 911 call that a man was in a domestic dispute at a nearby residence in the 16000 block of Colonial Drive.
The individual, later identified as an off-duty LASD deputy, was drinking and distraught before allegedly discharging his weapon into a wall of the home, KTLA reported.
Fontana officers arrived at the home, but the reporting party said the man left the house and headed toward the golf course carrying two guns.
A witness at the club said the man fired multiple rounds after walking onto the golf course.
“Just started shooting. Shooting up everything. Scaring the golfers, shooting at the police … It seems that mental health is real. He lost his edge and just started shooting up the neighborhood,” neighbor Myesha Dowe said.
The man was confronted by responding officers and subsequently shot. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Officers with the Fontana Police Department at the scene of an OIS Tuesday afternoon. (OnScene TV)
A Fontana police sergeant at the scene confirmed the decedent was an off-duty deputy with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Rick Danruther, manager at the Sierra Lakes Golf Club, said fortunately there were not many people present during the frightening situation.
“Fontana Police did a great job,” Danruther noted. “They got his attention and took care of things.”
Police have not released investigative details or the identity of the deceased deputy. He was believed to be in his 40s.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is handling the officer-involved shooting investigation, FOX 11 Los Angeles reported.
