Son of man killed in deputy-involved shooting releases statement

The son of the man killed in a deputy-involved shooting at Eisenhower Health in Rancho Mirage is speaking out to News Channel 3, describing his father as a “sweet” and “god-fearing man” that didn’t intend “to hurt anyone but was willing to pay the ultimate price to be heard.”

According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Stephen Kaylor, 63, of Indio was reportedly shooting at two buildings on the Eisenhower Health campus Monday at 4:55 p.m. Callers told police Kaylor was shooting at the Eisenhower Hospital and the Desert Orthopedic Center.

Watch: Man killed in deputy-involved shooting was firing at Eisenhower Health buildings

An RSO spokesperson said deputies arrived a few minutes later and spotted Kaylor with a handgun. A short time later, a deputy-involved shooting occurred. Deputies attempted to render life-saving measures to Kaylor while waiting for paramedics to arrive but Kaylor died at the scene.

RSO confirmed the involved deputy has been placed on administrative leave, as per department policy. The investigation is being handled by the Riverside County Sheriff Department’s Central Homicide Unit and is ongoing.

Watch News Channel 3 at 5 and 6 p.m. for the latest on the investigation and hear witnesses describe what they saw.

Full statement from Kaylor’s son:

My father was a man of God, an active member of his church and in no way a violent person. He had a knee replacement by Dr. Ghassan E. Boghosian from Eisenhower desert orthopedic center however there were complications with the follow up procedure. Dr .Boghosian knew he was on blood thinners and still drained his knee and in another dr option “hit a vein or something to cause internal bleeding in the knee due to the medication he was already on “. He complained to the Dr. Boghosian on multiple occasions of the pain and how he couldn’t walk or bend the knee anymore like he could after the first few weeks post surgery . However nothing was done to help him. Dr .Boghosian kept saying it would get better and to wait it out, But it never did. After ” waiting it out” my father lost his business and his livelihood . He owned a small contracting business however due to the doctors poor care he couldn’t work and the business went under. With no source of income and ability to care for himself it is my belief he fell into depression. The doctor in no way tried to help him and in my fathers words ” blew me off and showed no remorse”. Anyone who knew my father can attest to the type of man he was, a sweet gentle god fearing man. Doctors need to listen to their patients rather than thinking of them as another dollar sign. I know for a fact
My father didn’t go there to hurt anyone but was willing to pay the ultimate price to be heard.

Eisenhower Health sent a statement to News Channel 3 in response to the family’s statement:

Eisenhower Health is bound by the confidentiality and patient privacy requirements of HIPAA and California privacy laws and cannot provide information about any patient, living or deceased. Additionally, because of an ongoing criminal investigation we cannot make any further comment.

-Lee Rice
Media Coordinator and Communications Specialist
Eisenhower Health