California deputy kills unarmed person after traffic stop

ADELANTO, Calif. (AP) — State officials are investigating after a Southern California sheriff’s deputy shot and killed an unarmed person following a traffic stop early Tuesday, authorities said.

The motorist ran from the scene after being pulled over around 2:40 a.m. in Adelanto, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.

The unidentified deputy shot the motorist, according to a statement from the California Department of Justice.

The individual, who was not identified, died at the scene, the sheriff’s department said.

“Preliminary investigation revealed the suspect was unarmed,” the sheriff’s news release said.

The state Department of Justice has taken over the shooting investigation. A new law that took effect last year requires the state to investigate all shootings by police that end in the death of an unarmed civilian.

“Once the investigation has been completed, it will be turned over to the California Department of Justice’s Special Prosecutions Section within the Criminal Law Division for independent review,” the DOJ statement said.