Tulare County Sheriff's deputy attacked during traffic stop, shoots suspect

TULARE COUNTY (KFSN) -- A Tulare County Sheriff's deputy shot a suspect after the man attacked him during a traffic stop Saturday afternoon, the department said.

Authorities said the shooting happened when the suspect was pulled at Inyo Avenue and Road 36 around 1 p.m. The suspect is accused of attacking the deputy after he was stopped.

Surveillance cameras at Preet Market showed the moment the deputy pulled over a man driving a black pickup truck over during an afternoon traffic stop. The deputy is then seen getting out of his patrol unit and walking over to the truck.

You can't hear what is happening but you can see the deputy make his way to the driver's side window and exchange words with the man behind the wheel and seconds later the deputy steps away from the driver, walks to the of back the truck and then pulls out his firearm.

The suspect walks backward, standing about 10-feet away from the truck, still waiting for the suspect to step out. When the truck begins to move, the deputy runs towards it, kicking the door, and reaching in the window trying to get the driver to stop.

But the driver continues his get away efforts - driving forward, then backward, and even ramming the deputy's patrol unit twice while the officer is hanging on to his door. The deputy steps away and fires his gun.

The owner of the market were inside when it all happened.

"I was shocked it was in my parking lot," Baluar Sangh said.

Additional officers arrived and took the suspect into custody and is listed in stable condition at the hospital.

The deputy who was attacked was taken to a hospital with minor injuries and was released and has been placed on paid administrator leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

A passenger in the truck was not hurt and is cooperating with authorities.