- A officer involved shooting left Onyx resident Austin Spranger dead after KCSO Deputies were called to his mother's property to try and remove him.
- The shooting took place on August 5, 2024.
- KCSO reports that there were 2 officer involved shooting in 2023. So far in 2024 they have reported 3.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Kern County Sheriff's Deputies arrived the morning of August 5th to a residence in Onyx off of Melody Lane after the owner of the property called 911 and stated she believed her son, 25-year-old Austin Springer was on her property.
She stated she had a restraining order against him.
“Every time he comes he’s always been really calm,” said Willa Davis, an Onyx resident who was familiar with Springer and was nearby when the shooting occurred, “I've never seen him get overly excited or anything with the police.”
Officers were attempting to find Springer and remove him from the property.
They came to believe he was in a trailer on the property.
After trying to make contact with Springer while outside the trailer, deputies cut a cord securing the trailer door and attempted to enter.
Springer then came to the doorway holding what appeared to be a gun and deputies backed up.
“I was walking to the bus and I heard a shot, one single shot.,” Davis recalled.
An officer shot at Springer once and then Springer then retreated into the trailer while officers called for back-up.
This was the weapon KCSO said Springer pointed at Deputies, a CO2 powered BB gun.
“Then the cars with the dogs came, then the robot came, then the Sheriff came with a cowboy hat on. There were a lot of policemen,” Davis said.
Using a drone and armor, KCSO gained access to the trailer where they learned Springer had died from the gunshot wound.
“And it’s heartaching, and he was so young for that to happen to him,” Davis said.
KCSO convened an incident review board that determined the officers conduct was within policy.
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:
