Riverside County deputies release body camera footage of deputy shooting in Temecula

The Riverside County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday released body camera footage showing a deputy shooting in Temecula that happened in early January. 

Video shows the moments that two deputies with the department's Southwest Sherif's Station arrive at a home in the 32200 block of Cask Lane, where they were dispatched in regards to a family dispute just before 6 p.m., according to a release from the department issued in January. 

They were initially contacted by a person who said that an "unwelcomed family member broke into his residence while his wife and son were inside," and that after leaving the man "continued to behave erratically in the parking lot and was refusing to leave." They also learned that the suspect, who was allegedly "under the influence of drugs" had broken the windows of a car outside of the residence and was setting it on fire. 

As soon as the deputies exit their patrol vehicle, a car can be seen engulfed in flames while a man sits inside.

In a video accompanying the body camera footage, Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco provided further details on the incident. 

"The suspect yelled at the deputies saying he was going to shoot them and kill them," Bianco said. 

Despite deputies giving multiple commands for the man to exit the vehicle, he refused to comply and continued to "behave erratically and aggressively" the release said.  "The suspect produced a metal object and threw it at the deputies, and a deputy-involved shooting occurred."

The man, who has since been identified as 33-year-old San Diego man Christian Alejandro Rodriguez, was struck by gunfire and rushed to a nearby hospital by paramedics that arrived on scene a short time later. He is said to be in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. He has since been discharged and booked into jail.  

No other injuries were reported in the incident and the deputies involved in the shooting were placed on paid administrative leave per department policy. 

The Riverside County District Attorney's Office, aided by the Riverside County Sheriff's Force Investigations Detail, is investigating the shooting. 

Anyone who knows more is asked to contact investigators at (951) 955-2777.