Video shows Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies unleash hail of gunfire on armed man Jerald Hardcastle.
Body camera footage released shows the moment sheriff’s deputies unleashed a hail of gunfire as they confronted an armed robbery suspect in Norwalk.
Body camera footage released on Tuesday depicts the intense moment when sheriff’s deputies engaged in a shootout with an armed robbery suspect in Norwalk.
The incident unfolded on January 27 in a parking lot near the intersection of Studebaker Road and Rosecrans Avenue. Deputies rushed to the scene following a report of an armed robbery at a liquor store, where 38-year-old Jerald Hardcastle from Lake Elsinore allegedly brandished a shotgun while robbing the establishment in front of several customers, as captured by surveillance video.
Upon locating the suspect, deputies instructed him to surrender, but he defied their orders. Equipped with a ballistic shield, a Taser, and a 40-mm foam projectile launcher, deputies cautiously approached Hardcastle, who was positioned behind a vehicle.
A witness documented the tense standoff as deputies advanced. In the footage, Hardcastle is seen holding the shotgun, initially refusing to drop it despite repeated commands. When he made a sudden movement, deputies unleashed a barrage of gunfire, yet Hardcastle persisted in clutching his weapon. The deputies then proceeded to engage in physical confrontation with the suspect, ultimately subduing him with a Taser. Hardcastle sustained a gunshot wound to his left hand during the altercation and was subsequently taken into custody.
Authorities recovered a loaded shotgun and two assault rifles from the scene. Hardcastle now faces charges including robbery, assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, and three counts of felon in possession of a firearm.
Both the Sheriff’s Department and the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office are conducting investigations into the incident.