Deputy killed in Porterville shooting, suspect also dead, Tulare County sheriff says
ABC30 Fresno • • nation
Key Points:
- Tulare County Sheriff's detective Randy Hoppert was fatally shot during an eviction notice confrontation in Porterville, California, after the suspect, David Morales, barricaded himself inside his home and exchanged gunfire with deputies.
- Morales, 59, was armed with a high-powered rifle despite owning 18 registered handguns; he was killed later after being run over by an armored vehicle during a tactical operation after nearly seven hours of standoff.
- Detective Hoppert, a Navy veteran and Tulare County Sheriff's Office member since 2020, died at Sierra View Medical Center and leaves behind a wife who is four months pregnant.
- The eviction stemmed from Morales failing to pay rent for 35 days, and deputies were immediately fired upon upon arrival; multiple law enforcement agencies, including SWAT and crisis negotiators, responded, and nearby schools were secured for safety.
- Morales had no prior criminal record or clear motive for the attack, and this incident marks the first line-of-duty death for the Tulare County Sheriff's Office in nearly 20 years.
