FALLBROOK, Calif. (KGTV) - A man suspected in a series of attacks on drivers in Fallbrook was shot by an undercover sheriff’s deputy during a confrontation early Friday morning.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department said the deputy involved shooting happened at around 4:30 a.m. near Reche and Ranger roads, near Interstate 15.
Sheriff’s officials said an investigation was prompted after three assaults were reported in the area this week -- the first happening on the evening of Dec. 19 and two more the next night.
In each case, sheriff’s officials said the suspected attacker, believed to be a transient, would use a baseball bat to assault victims in parked cars. Officials said that “each attack was unprovoked and resulted in vehicle damage and/or injury before the victims fled to escape their attacker.”
On Friday morning, during surveillance of the area, a deputy in an unmarked vehicle was attacked by a man armed with a bat.
According to sheriff’s officials, the attacker “smashed the window of the vehicle, injuring the deputy inside when he was showered with broken glass.”
You can see the driver’s side window is smashed out of this undercover Sheriff’s vehicle being towed from from a crime scene in Fallbrook. A Deputy attacked by a man with a bat who had been attacking other parked cars in area. He was shot by the deputy but expected to survive. pic.twitter.com/zUsSORpQU7
— Jim Patton (@10NewsPatton) December 21, 2018
In self-defense, officials said the deputy opened fire and struck the attacker multiple times.
The suspected attacker, who was arrested on assault with a deadly weapon, was transported to the hospital and underwent surgery for his wounds. He is expected to survive.
The deputy suffered a cut to his forehead and is expected to be OK.
The incident is under investigation.
