A former California sheriff’s deputy was fatally shot by authorities after he reportedly stabbed his son to death on Tuesday morning. The ex-Sacramento County deputy, Marvin Morales, was at home in Elk Grove with his 11-year-old son and a 6-year-old girl when the attack occurred.
The children’s mother, who was not present, witnessed the disturbing scene through the home’s online surveillance camera at around 8 a.m. and immediately alerted police. According to Elk Grove police spokesperson Cristina Gonzalez, officers responded within minutes after the mother’s call. The 11-year-old boy was rushed to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Meanwhile, the little girl was unharmed, according to officials.
After the attack on Tuesday morning, Morales fled the home before officers arrived. He was found after Sheriff Jim Cooper notified the officials that he saw Morales’ vehicle, leading to a pursuit. Officers chased him on Interstate 5, where speeds reached 100 mph as Morales headed toward Lodi.
The chase came to an end near the junction of I-5 and State Route 12 after California Highway Patrol officers deployed a spike strip. When Morales came into contact with the spikes, his SUV veered off the freeway and crashed. Luckily, no other vehicles were involved in the crash.
His vehicle came under fire when officers, including at least two Sacramento County deputies, began shooting when the car came to a halt. It has not yet been determined whether Morales fired at officers during the confrontation. Morales was killed at the scene.
Authorities said Morales was terminated as a Sacramento County sheriff’s deputy the year prior, following an internal investigation. Documents from the sheriff’s office indicated that he took drugs seized from suspects in 2023, used them, and then lied to the authorities about it.
Among some of the drugs he stole was fentanyl, which he thought was methamphetamine. He smoked the narcotic inside a sheriff’s station bathroom and then overdosed. When other deputies entered the bathroom, they found him on the ground with a pipe nearby and drugs inside his uniform.
Officials had to revive him with Narcan before swiftly taking him to the hospital. When he regained consciousness, he admitted to using drugs, which led to his handing in his resignation on February 2, 2024. However, he was terminated on February 7.
