Harrowing footage shows the moment an autistic teenage boy was shot dead by police in California after running towards them with a bladed gardening tool over the weekend, according to officials.
The San Bernado Sheriff’s Department said in a statement that the officers responded to a 4:48 p.m. call from family members that the teenager, identified as Ryan Gainer, 15, “was actively assaulting family members and damaging property at the residence.”
The first deputy arrived at the residence and was confronted by Gainer, who was armed with an approximate five-foot-long garden tool, with a sharp-bladed end, the police statement alleged.
Police claim Gainer then raised the bladed end of the tool and chased the deputy in an attempt to assault him with the bladed end of the tool.
The statement said a “lethal force encounter” occurred, in which Gainer was struck by gunfire.
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The Gainer family’s attorney, DeWitt M. Lacy, said Gainer had autism and “experienced some type of upsetting of his normal routine because he needed to do his chores.”
“Sometimes with autistic teens, or are those similarly situated, it might cause them to be very angry,” she explained to PEOPLE.
“They might yell and or disrupt property, which is what happened here, and it was the source of the 911 call. However, by the time the deputies arrived to the residence, the situation had calmed.
“Ryan had even been apologetic about being so enraged and apologized for breaking up a window.”
Sheriff-Coroner Shannon D. Dicus put out a statement on Sunday addressing the incident.
“Our social safety net for those experiencing mental illness needs to be strengthened. Our deputies handle seemingly insurmountable calls daily. Most of these calls do not end in violence,” his statement read.
“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.
“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.”
Anyone with further information is urged to contact detectives at (909) 890-4904.
