DEPUTY INVOLVED SHOOTING AT MORONGO VALLEY HOME WHERE MAN BARRICADED HIMSELF

A situation in which a man barricaded himself inside his home in Morongo Valley ended with a deputy-involved shooting Tuesday afternoon. Managing editor Tami Roleff was on the scene and said deputies went to a home in the 53500 block of 29 Palms Highway, just west of the Hi-Desert Rod and Gun shooting range sometime this morning. Roleff spoke with the suspect’s mother, who said her son had called and said helicopters were circling overhead. The man—who has not been identified by the Sheriff’s Department yet—barricaded himself in the house. Deputies called for a helicopter and the SWAT teams arrived and staged at the shooting range. At 1:28, at least one gunshot was heard coming from the direction of the house. Shortly after, ambulances could be seen moving in to position, and the SWAT vehicles moved closer to the house. At 2:04, a loud noise that sounded like a small explosion was heard in the direction of the house. About 2:30, deputies were seen taking off their flak vests and putting their rifles away. A search dog and its handler started going around the desert surrounding the house. At this time, the Sheriff’s Department is not confirming whether the man inside the home is dead or alive, although the Sheriff’s department released a Tweet saying that a deputy-involved shooting occurred.