The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office is releasing more information about a deputy-involved shooting that injured a suspect in Templeton earlier this year.
The incident happened the night of Jan. 29 near Templeton High School and the Salinas River.
A video released by the sheriff’s office on Tuesday shows video from at least one of the patrol cars that night with a sheriff’s spokesperson explaining in detail what occurred.
The video states two marked patrol cars with two deputies in each vehicle responded to reports of shots heard along the 1200 block of South Main Street at around 10 p.m.
Within seconds of arriving on scene, shots can be heard. Sheriff’s officials say the suspect, identified as Thomas Farrell, fired multiple times at the driver’s side of the first patrol car from a “hidden location at the base of a tree.” The video is paused while a close-up is shown of what the sheriff’s office says is a muzzle flash clearly visible.
You then see the first patrol car stop and appear to back up when someone holding a gun emerges from the side of the driveway. The spokesperson says it was the suspect pointing his gun directly at the vehicle and firing.
The video then shows the first patrol car driving off.
It’s at that time the spokesperson says the suspect then approaches the second vehicle.
With both of those deputies getting out of their vehicle, according to the sheriff's office, the deputies fired several shots from at the suspect, hitting him twice, according to the spokesperson.
The video then shows the suspect on the ground off the side of the driveway and deputies shouting commands like “do not move."
The sheriff’s office says medical aid for Farrell was requested 46 seconds after the last shot was fired and that he was held at gunpoint for about two-and-a-half minutes while additional deputies arrived on scene.
The deputies then moved toward him, locating a handgun near Farrell, the spokesperson added while showing a closeup shot of it in the video.
They say medical aid was given to the suspect once they determined he was no longer a threat.
The sheriff’s office says Farrell was under the influence of nitrous oxide gas, also known as whippets, at the time of the incident.
Showing photos of the first patrol car, they say it was struck three times during the incident. No deputies were injured.
Sheriff Ian Parkinson says the video and this incident “illustrates the danger that law enforcement faces.”
Farrell was taken to the hospital to be treated for his injuries and was later arrested and charged with two counts of attempted murder on a peace officer. He has not yet entered a plea and is due back in court next month.
The sheriff’s office says its major crimes unit handled the investigation into the incident with their findings turned over to the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office, adding that its professional standards unit will review the case for compliance with departmental policy.
The District Attorney’s Office will be handling the investigation into whether the shooting by deputies was justified.
Sheriff’s officials say the deputies involved were placed on paid administrative leave following the incident and received wellness support and were evaluated to determine if they could return to work and in what capacity. A sheriff's spokesperson says all four have since returned to work.
To view the video released by the sheriff's office, click here.
