A Yucca Valley man who was shot in the back by Sheriff’s deputies during a pursuit in Twentynine Palms in 2020 is suing the county, according to a recent article by the San Bernardino Sun. On October 23, 2020, Joseph McGlaughlin, now 31, of Yucca Valley was identified leaving Tortoise Rock Casino in Twentynine Palms by deputies who recognized him as a suspect with a warrant out for his arrest. McGlaughlin ran from deputies and, during the foot pursuit, he pretended to throw a rock at the deputies, leading to one of the deputies shotting McGlaughlin several times.
The lawsuit filed by McGlaughlin against the county claims that the arrest was unlawful because he was running away from the deputies with his back to them when he was shot, and that he should have been warned that deadly force would be used against him. The lawsuit claims unlawful arrest, battery and negligence, among other things.
