The family of 72-year-old Robert Liddell has filed a legal tort claim alleging San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies unlawfully entered his Alpine home and shot him during a wellness check on Nov. 5, 2025. The claim, submitted last Sunday (April 26) as a formal precursor to a lawsuit, argues that deputies violated Liddell’s constitutional rights and seeks damages. Body-worn camera footage released by the sheriff’s office in November sits at the center of the family’s challenge to the shooting.
Family's claim, attorneys say
In a legal tort claim obtained by Times of San Diego, attorneys Julia Yoo and Peter Bibring write, “When Mr. Liddell, who appeared to have been sleeping, walked into the hallway with a BB gun, deputies shot him dead.” The filing alleges deputies entered Liddell’s home without lawful authority and used excessive force in violation of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments.
What the footage shows
Video released in November shows Deputies Jordi Herrera and Christopher Kleppe entering through an unlocked front door, announcing themselves and moving through a dark house before Liddell appears from an unlit room holding what officers later identified as a replica firearm, according to Patch. The footage records the deputies ordering him to drop the object, then firing when he moves down the hallway.
State review underway
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that the incident occurred on the 1700 block of Kyrsten Terrace and said a replica firearm was recovered at the scene. The agency also stated that the California Department of Justice has opened an independent review under Assembly Bill 1506, as described in a department news release. According to the sheriff’s office, the DOJ investigation will be passed to the department’s Special Prosecutions Section for independent review, and the state will release findings as appropriate. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office and the California Department of Justice detail the AB 1506 process and the state’s handling of officer-involved deaths.
Legal steps ahead
Under California’s Government Claims Act, a claim related to a death generally must be presented to the public entity within six months of the accrual of the cause of action, a requirement set out in Government Code § 911.2. Because the family filed its claim last Sunday, that submission falls within the statutory window and serves as a required step before any civil suit against the county. The family’s claim is being handled by civil-rights attorneys with Iredale & Yoo, who authored the filing. The California Legislature and Iredale & Yoo outline the procedural backdrop for the steps that come next.
What comes next
If the county rejects the claim or does not act on it in time, the family will generally have the statutory period to move ahead with a lawsuit. Separately, the DOJ review may lead to a criminal referral or policy recommendations. The sheriff’s office has declined to comment on the pending litigation, as noted in reporting on the claim. Ongoing investigations and the county’s administrative response now shape the timeline for any future court action.
