A chilling assault on a Carlsbad cop last Friday has left the officer seriously injured and a suspect, Kyle McCord, facing attempted murder charges. The cop, patrolling Carlsbad Village Drive just before midnight, found himself under a sudden, violent attack after a rock. Then a skateboard flung by McCord hit his vehicle and then his head, respectively.
The Carlsbad Police Department recounted the harrowing events, stating the officer was not involved in any enforcement activities when the ambush occurred. He was simply inspecting the damage to his patrol car caused by a rock—whose hurler remains unknown—that had shattered the vehicle's spotlight and windshield. Upon being struck, the officer took out his weapon and discharged it three times at the fleeing McCord, although none of the shots found their mark.
According to a statement from the Carlsbad Police Department, the wounded officer was rushed to the hospital for treatment of serious head injuries. At the same time, detectives from the San Diego Police Department Homicide Unit took charge of investigating the circumstances surrounding the officer-involved shooting and the assault.
The rapid response of additional officers led to the suspect's capture after a three-block chase. While the officer's identity was not disclosed, he is known to have eight years of law enforcement experience and previously worked at another agency before joining the Carlsbad Police Department in September 2022, and the authorities have charged McCord, a 32-year-old white male from San Diego with attempted murder of a police officer. For committing a felony while on bond or release, he's being held at Vista Jail. The review process of the shooting is said to be exhaustive; upon completion by the Homicide Unit, it's going to be carefully checked by the District Attorney's office to decide if there's any criminal liability on the officer's part.
With the serious nature of this incident, the broader community is under a cloud of concern, and any individuals with information have been urged to reach out to the San Diego Police Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or to contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at (888) 580-8477 to aid in the ongoing investigation.
