By Andrew Kuhn
Merced Sun-Star
MERCED, Calif. — The Merced County Sheriff’s Office has released body camera footage of an April deputy-involved shooting that resulted in injury to a deputy and the death of a suspect.
At about 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, 2023, deputies responded to information about potential gang members with firearms in the area of the Winton cemetery, according to Merced County Undersheriff Corey Gibson in the video.
Authorities said Deputy Nasir Wali responded to the scene and observed several subjects run out of the cemetery and enter a vehicle. According to Deputy Alexandra Britton, it is unclear what the subjects were doing at the cemetery. Wali has been a deputy with the Merced County Sheriff’s Office since 2016, according to Britton.
Wali attempted a vehicle stop, but the vehicle continued and the deputy pursued the vehicle through Winton. According to Gibson, Deputy Lucy Lopez joined the pursuit, which last just over three minutes. Lopez has been a deputy with the sheriff’s office since 2020, according to Britton.
The vehicle pursuit came to an end when the subject’s vehicle collided with a parked car at the corner of Walnut Avenue and Suzie Street in Winton.
According to Gibson, multiple people exited and ran from the vehicle including the suspect, identified as Jonathan Daniel Diaz-Duarte. Deputy Wali chased Diaz-Duarte who the deputy observed carrying what was believed to be an AR-15 rifle through nearby apartments before losing site of the suspect, according to Gibson in the video.
In the video released by the Merced County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Wali can be seen chasing the suspect through the apartments and ordering the suspect to stop and show the deputy his hands.
Diaz-Duarte reportedly ran back toward Suzie Street where Deputy Lopez chased the suspect into an empty lot where the deputy-involved shooting occurred, just north of the apartment buildings.
Body camera video shows Deputy Lopez chasing the suspect north along Suzie Street into the empty lot and she can be heard ordering the suspect to stop multiple times and telling him he is going to get Tasered.
“It appeared the suspect tripped and fell as Deputy Lopez got close to him,” said Gibson in the video. “He then pointed the gun back towards Deputy Lopez and fired one round striking her in the left ear. She then returned fire with her department-issued duty pistol striking Diaz-Duarte three times.”
Following the shooting, Deputy Wali responded to the empty lot where he assessed Deputy Lopez’s injuries and began rendering medical aid to Diaz-Duarte before medical personnel arrived to perform life-saving efforts. Diaz-Duarte was ultimately pronounced dead at the scene, according to authorities.
Deputy Lopez was taken to an area hospital for treatment of her injuries.
“Deputy Lopez sustained one gunshot wound to the left ear and gunpowder burns to her left cheek,” said Gibson in the video. “The bullet also broke the back of her sunglasses. This shows how close the bullet came to potentially ending her life.”
The deputy is expected to make a full recovery.
Authorities said the firearm Diaz-Duarte used in the shooting was an AR-15 platform rifle without a stock. According to Gibson, the absence of the stock makes the firearm easier to conceal. The .223 caliber used in the rifle is capable of piercing body armor, according to authorities.
According to Deputy Britton, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office is conduction an internal investigation into the incident and the Merced County District Attorney’s Office is conducting a full investigation into the use of force as well as the criminal investigation.
___
(c)2023 the Merced Sun-Star (Merced, Calif.)
Visit the Merced Sun-Star (Merced, Calif.) at www.mercedsunstar.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.