Suspect arrested in unprovoked shooting of Merced County Sheriff’s deputy, officials say

A Merced County deputy was shot early Wednesday morning by an unknown person without provocation while responding to a Livingston-area disturbance, according to the Merced County Sheriff’s Office.

Details are preliminary, but sheriff’s officials say one suspect is in custody and the deputy suffered minor injuries.

The incident happened around midnight in a rural farm area surrounded by orchards, just north of Livingston city limits in Merced County.

The deputy was responding to a call from a neighbor about a fight at a residence, according to Deputy Daryl Allen. The deputy pulled up to a home on Yamato Road, north of Olive Avenue.

After pulling up to the home, the deputy, who was still sitting in his patrol vehicle, was shot by the assailant.

The deputy, thanks to his protective vest, was not seriously hurt. He was treated at the scene, taken to a local hospital and is expected to recover. “The vest saved his life,” Deputy Allen said.

Detectives have not released the number of times the deputy was shot, or the type of gun used in the shooting. Allen said detectives did locate a firearm.

The names of the deputy and suspect have not been released.

Prior problems at the residence?

While deputies are releasing few details as they conduct their investigation, some people have suspected illegal activity may have been happening at the Yamato Road home where the shooting happened.

One man, who described himself as a relative of the residence’s property owner, said he suspects marijuana was being illegally grown at the site.

The man did not give his name, out of fear of retaliation. The man said he once went to the property to retrieve some farming equipment, when the person who rents the site threatened with him with a gun, and ordered him to leave.

Deputies have not commented on that man’s statement.

The last 12 months have been a dangerous for local law enforcement. Earlier this year, Merced County Sheriff’s Sgt. Clint Landrum was shot while responding to a domestic violence report in Dos Palos. Landrum survived the shooting, and a suspect was arrested after a statewide manhunt.

In December last year, Newman Police Cpt. Ronil Singh was shot and killed during a traffic stop. Singh’s alleged killer remains in custody.

This story was originally published December 18, 2019 at 8:33 AM.