Eviction Call Turns Deadly After Gunman Kills Deputy and Is Run Over by SWAT Truck

What should’ve been a simple eviction turned into something far worse.

When deputies pulled up to a home in Porterville, California on April 9 to serve papers to 59-year-old David Morales, they weren’t met at the door — they were met with gunfire.

Investigators say Morales opened fire almost immediately, hitting Deputy Randy Hoppert, 35. The young deputy was rushed to the hospital, but he didn’t make it.

From there, everything unraveled fast.

Morales, dressed in camouflage and carrying a rifle, climbed out through a window and disappeared into nearby brush. For hours, deputies tried to track him down as he moved around the area, continuing to fire at law enforcement. SWAT teams, negotiators, and multiple agencies flooded the neighborhood while residents were told to get out as a precaution.

By late afternoon, the standoff was still going — and Morales was still shooting, even at armored vehicles.

That’s when deputies made a move you don’t hear about often.

They used a BearCat SWAT vehicle to run him over, killing him at the scene while he was still actively firing.

Afterward, Sheriff Mike Boudreaux made it clear why they did it — saying if someone is shooting at deputies, they’re going to stop the threat, no matter what it takes.

Authorities say Morales didn’t have a criminal record, though he owned several guns. The rifle used in the attack wasn’t registered.