Teen Fatally Shot in Victorville Was Experiencing Mental Health Crisis, Sheriff Says

The boy, armed with a knife, had locked himself in a bathroom and threatened to harm himself. A struggle with deputies ended with gunfire.

A screenshot from video showing deputies' confrontation with a boy in Victorville, Calif., on April 2, 2024. San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department

A teen fatally shot by deputies in Victorville this week was a foster youth experiencing a mental health crisis, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

In an April 3 press conference, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said the 17-year-old boy, whose identity has not been released, had been involuntarily committed three days prior to the shooting after he had cut his wrists. Under California law, a so-called 5150 hold allows for the involuntary 72-hour hold of an individual if they are deemed a danger to themselves or others.