Early Sunday morning in Thousand Oaks, a man wielding what appeared to be a bow and arrow was shot by Ventura County deputies. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office reported via X, a social media platform, that the incident initiated with deputies making contact with a "suspicious pedestrian" holding a knife near Avenida De Los Arboles around 6:50 a.m. This confrontation escalated quickly when the man, after failing to comply with orders to drop his weapon, moved toward the officers in a threatening manner with an object resembling a bow, prompting one deputy to discharge their firearm.
Rendered aid at the scene before paramedics arrived, the 37-year-old man was subsequently transported to a nearby hospital and remains in critical but stable condition. While the officers involved were unharmed, the man's name has not been disclosed. Along with a knife, an item that "looked similar to a bow" was found at the scene, as KTLA details.
According to the official statement from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, the deputies on scene tirelessly worked to de-escalate the situation but were forced to engage when their safety became compromised. The deputy who fired at the suspect is now on administrative leave as per department protocol. As part of the ongoing investigation by the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit in conjunction with the District Attorney’s Office, no further injuries connected to the incident have been reported.
Officials from the Ventura County Sheriff's Department stressed the gravity of the event, noting how swiftly the potentially deadly situation unfolded. "The incident began when deputies made contact with a 37-year-old man who was observed holding a knife," specifying the looming threat that materialized when the man, armed and unyielding, made aggressive movements towards a deputy, as reported by a CBS News Los Angeles article.
The Thousand Oaks Police Department, which operates under the Ventura County Sheriff's Department, urges anyone with additional information about this event to contact detective Gerardo Cruz at (805) 384-4726. In compliance with California AB748, body-worn camera footage from the incident is scheduled for release within 45 days, ensuring transparency and accountability, as detailed by a press release from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.
