Authorities say 59-year-old David Morales was fatally struck Thursday night by a BearCat armored vehicle after he shot and killed Tulare County Sheriff's Deputy Randy Hoppert.
The BearCat was removed from the neighborhood Friday afternoon, less than a day after the confrontation turned the once-quiet area into what neighbors described as a battle zone.
Morales had lived in the nearly 1,500-square-foot home since 2005, but property records show the home went into foreclosure last year and someone new took over ownership in December.
Records also show Morales had been asked to leave multiple times, leading to what authorities said was his final eviction on Thursday.
Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said Morales knew deputies were coming to enforce the eviction and armed himself before their arrival.
"It's shocking what happened, but it's not surprising as to who it came from," said John Alvarado, who lives in the neighborhood.
The shooting sparked an hours-long standoff that forced residents to barricade themselves inside their homes.
Several neighbors told Action News they had contacted authorities about Morales in the past, expressing concern about his behavior.
"We've called the cops, and we've told them, 'This guy is, he's not okay. Like, you guys need to be careful with this guy,'" said neighbor Michael Phipps. "When my dad would come and pick my kids up, he'd turn around in the cul-de-sac too, and he came chasing them out. He chased them all the way down the street."
Despite those concerns, neighbors said they never expected the situation to escalate into deadly violence.
Alvarado said he witnessed part of the incident and feared for his life during the standoff.
"I was distraught," Alvarado said. "At that point I got my pups and I took them to the inner closet of my house. And we just stayed on the ground for a good while."
Alvarado said he and his dogs were trapped inside his home for nearly five hours before a team arrived to evacuate them.
He said he is grateful to have survived and credited Deputy Hoppert for his actions.
"Those kids... his wife... you had a hero in your home," Alvarado said. "I saw the guy coming. I saw the way he looked at the situation. He had no fear in his eyes. No fear in his eyes. And he's the only one that took a bullet that day."
Immediate neighbors are now returning to their homes for the first time since the shooting began.