A California teen armed with a garden tool and shot to death by officers responding to a domestic disturbance at his home was living with autism, family members say.
San Bernardino County deputies arrived at 15-year-old Ryan Gainer's Apple Valley home in southern California Saturday after a family member called 911 to report he was assaulting them and damaging property, authorities said. Responding officers met Ryan, who was allegedly armed with a "sharp bladed" 5-foot long garden tool.
Deputies alleged Ryan charged at them with the tool, and in return, he was struck by their gunfire. On-scene aid was rendered, but the teen subsequently succumbed to his injuries, said authorities.
Ryan's family has since retained legal representation, accusing the sheriff's office of withholding information from the public, though they did not elaborate. They also claimed Ryan was in the midst of an episode aggravated by his autism.
"The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department is not telling the whole truth. These officers should be investigated and probably prosecuted for the murder of Ryan Gainer," the Gainer family attorney said, according to KTLA-TV.
The identities of the officers have not been released. On Wednesday, Sheriff Shannon Dicus made the officer's body cam footage public.
In the video, a responding officer could be heard warning Ryan, "Hey! Get back! You're going to get shot!" before firing off his weapon. Dicus previously issued a statement earlier this week addressing the teen's death and offering his condolences to his officers and the victim's family.
"Our social safety net for those experiencing mental illness needs to be strengthened. Our deputies handle seemingly insurmountable calls daily," he said. "Most of these calls do not end in violence. However, this one ended in tragedy for Ryan, his family, and for the deputies who responded. Rapidly evolving, violent encounters are some of the most difficult, requiring split second decisions."
Added Dicus, "While these decisions are lawful, they are awful in terms of our humanity. I feel for both Ryan's family and my deputies who will struggle with this for their entire lives."
