Riverside County Sheriff’s Department releases footage of July 2019 deputy-involved shooting

(CAUTION - Viewer Discretion Advised on video for shooting & swearing)

The Riverside County Sheriff's Department released bodycam footage of a deadly deputy-involved shooting in Rancho Mirage from July 2019.

The incident happened on July 9, 2019 near the intersection of Ramon Road and Bob Hope, right by the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage.

A pedestrian called 911 at approximately 7:23 p.m. to report a man wearing military fatigues holding an 8- or 9-inch butcher knife at the bus stop on Ramon Road.

The caller said there was no one around but the man was waving the knife, "like stabbing an invisible person."

The first deputy to respond to the call arrived at approximately 7:29 p.m., according to Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.

The bodycam footage begins at 7:36 p.m., when two deputies from the Palm Desert Sheriff's Station have arrived and are ordering the man sitting at the bus stop to drop the knife.

The man doesn't comply with the order prompting one of the deputies to tell the second deputy to tase the suspect. The taser doesn't appear to have an effect on the suspect, but it does cause him to get up from the corner of the bus stop and starting walking along Bob Hope with the knife still in his hand.

Deputies can then be heard shouting at the suspect multiple times to drop the knife and get on the ground. A third deputy arrives at the scene armed with a pepper ball gun. The deputy can be heard saying that the pepper ball gun is not working.

The three deputies follow the man from a distance as he continues to walk along Bob Hope Drive on the sidewalk.

The suspect then suddenly gets off the sidewalk and appears to try to lunge at the closest deputy. The deputy, still a few feet away from the suspect backs up and orders the suspect to get back and get on the ground.

The suspect continues to walk towards the deputy. Deputies continue to order him to back up but does not comply before being shot by a deputy who was backing up.

The suspect, later identified as Jason Harris, 35, was pronounced dead in the hospital.

The Riverside County District Attorney's ruled the shooting justified on Nov. 20, 2020, following an investigation.

News Channel 3 is also working to obtain the "final determination letter" which will have more information about the case and how the decision was reached.

The deputy-involved returned to work a few weeks later.

The day after the shooting, Sheriff Chad Bianco expressed support for his officers, and their decision-making during the incident.

“The deputies responded and reacted to a perceived threat and unfortunately it ended the way it did,” Bianco said.