Vigilante confuses California officers with fleeing suspects and opens fire

Authorities said the man tried to take the law into his own hands and shot at officers, thinking they were “fleeing from suspects” in California.

The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post that on Oct. 31 at 1:26 a.m., officers responded to a security alarm at Pick-N-Pull in Stockton.

Authorities said deputies followed the three suspects and hid behind a cement wall separating the Buddhist temple from the residence.

The homeowner’s security alerted him and he sent his grandson to investigate, deputies said.

The grandson grabbed an AR-15 and got into a golf cart, “mistakenly believing he was following the fleeing suspects,” deputies said.

He then fired his gun twice at officers on the premises of the Buddhist temple, authorities said.

The deputies were not injured in the shooting.

They arrested the grandson on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, possession of an assault weapon, possession of a large capacity magazine and possession of a silencer.

“Taking the law into your own hands may escalate conflicts and lead to tragic consequences,” said the MPs. “We are grateful that our deputies returned home safely to their families.”

Stockton is approximately 50 miles southeast of Sacramento.

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