(KERO) — The Kern County Sheriff's Office released a video review of an April 2020 deadly shooting involving deputies and two men who police said attempted to evade capture.
A Critical Incident Review Board convened on May 15, 2020, to review the use of force by deputies in this shooting. The board deemed the deputies were within departmental policy.
According to KCSO, around 12:42 a.m. on April 18, 2020, deputies were dispatched to a report of shots heard in the 300-block of May Street in Oildale.
Once deputies arrived on-scene, they determined the shots were fired from a moving vehicle. Deputies located the suspect vehicle in the area a short time later. KCSO said when deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver, identified as Graciano Ceballos, attempted to flee and a pursuit ensued.
During the pursuit, Ceballos and a passenger inside the vehicle identified as Edward Ceballos fired shots at deputies, KCSO said. The pursuit ended when a deputy used his patrol car to disable the suspect vehicle at California Avenue and Easton Drive, according to KCSO.
KCSO said Graciano fled on foot towards occupied vehicles and apartments in the area. Deputies fired at Graciano and he fell to the ground. KCSO said medical aid was unable to reach Graciano because Edward refused to surrender.
Eventually, SWAT was called out to assist with the situation. For over an hour, deputies attempted to get Edward to surrender in order to get medical aid to Graciano. At 2:35 a.m., Edward was detained by SWAT and medical aid was able to enter the scene.
No deputies were injured during this incident, and deputies involved in the officer-involved shooting were placed on routine administrative leave.
The Kern County Sheriff's Office Homicide Unit investigated the shooting and their finding have been submitted to the Kern County DA's Officer for criminal review.
