Video shows police take down cop killer with armored vehicle after gunman turned neighborhood into war zone

Newly released bodycam and drone video captures the melodramatic last moments of the deadly California standoff that ended erstwhile deputies utilized an armored BearCat conveyance to tally implicit an equipped fishy who constabulary said killed Tulare County Deputy Randy Hoppert.

The astir seven-minute video, released Tuesday by the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, combines body-worn camera footage, thermal drone video and slow-motion replay documenting the aggravated firefight that unfolded aft authorities accidental 59-year-old David Morales ambushed deputies serving an eviction announcement successful Porterville connected April 9.

Video captures deputies scrambling for screen down patrol cars arsenic gunfire erupts done the vicinity portion SWAT teams unreserved armored vehicles into presumption astir the home.

FLORIDA DEPUTY WITH 25 YEARS ON FORCE KILLED SERVING EVICTION NOTICE; SUSPECT, LOCKSMITH ALSO SHOT: SHERIFF

Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said that deputies were serving an eviction announcement astatine a location connected Brian Avenue adjacent North Salisbury Street astir 10:40 a.m. connected April 9, 2026, erstwhile shots were fired. (Juan Guerrero via Storyful)

The video shows the monolithic tactical effect that followed arsenic Kern County Sheriff’s Office SWAT operators arrived with armored vehicles, including a BearCat and a Rook, to assistance evacuate adjacent residents and incorporate Morales.

Authorities said Morales continued firing from wrong the location for hours portion tactical teams attempted to negociate his surrender.

At astir 5:30 p.m., investigators said Morales opened occurrence connected the armored Rook vehicle, with rounds penetrating armor plating and damaging ballistic glass.

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Thermal drone footage released by the Kern County Sheriff’s Office shows fishy David Morales equipped with a firearm during the deadly Porterville standoff pursuing the sidesplitting of Deputy Randy Hoppert. (Kern County Sheriff's Office)

The video past shows Morales climbing retired of a model and fleeing into heavy brushwood successful the backyard portion equipped with a firearm and wearing camouflage and a mask.

Drone footage and bodycam video captured Morales lying beneath a histrion portion aiming a firearm astatine the operator of the BearCat, according to investigators.

Authorities said deputies determined Morales continued posing an imminent menace and utilized the BearCat arsenic a means of deadly force.

BODYCAM FOOTAGE SHOWS CHAOTIC MOMENTS LEADING UP TO FATAL OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING

Drone video shows a Kern County Sheriff’s Office BearCat armored conveyance maneuvering done a backyard during the deadly Porterville standoff involving fishy David Morales aft Tulare County Deputy Randy Hoppert was killed. (Kern County Sheriff's Office)

The footage shows the BearCat accelerating toward Morales arsenic gunfire erupts. Investigators said Morales fired aggregate rounds that struck the driver’s broadside model and underside of the armored conveyance during the encounter.

Deputies backed distant and past re-engaged Morales a 2nd time, according to the video.

Authorities said Morales continued manipulating his firearm and reached for a handgun successful his waistband aft the 2nd impact.

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Deputies past utilized the BearCat to tally implicit Morales a 3rd and last time.

"The fishy was lying prone connected the ground, successful camouflage clothing, continuing to airs a threat," Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said aft the incident. "The concern was resolved, and the fishy is present dead. He was not shot. One of the BearCats ran implicit him and killed him."

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Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux speaks astir a California sheriff’s detective who was changeable and killed portion serving an eviction announcement aft deputies were ambushed with a firearm successful Porterville, Calif. (Courtesy KBFX-KBAK)

The sheriff aboriginal defended the tactics utilized to halt Morales successful blunt terms.

"Don’t sprout astatine cops. You sprout astatine cops, we’re gonna tally you over," Boudreaux said. "He got tally over. He got what helium deserved."

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Authorities said the confrontation began earlier that greeting erstwhile deputies arrived astatine Morales’ location to service a last eviction announcement aft helium allegedly failed to wage rent for 35 days. Investigators said Morales appeared to person "laid successful wait" earlier opening occurrence connected deputies with a high-powered rifle.

Hoppert, a erstwhile Navy corpsman who joined the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office successful 2020, was struck during the ambush and rushed to Sierra View District Hospital, wherever helium aboriginal died.

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Tulare County Sheriff’s Office Detective Randy Hoppert was killed successful the enactment of work successful Porterville, California connected April 9. (Clovis Police Department)

Authorities considered airlifting Hoppert to Fresno for treatment, but his information was excessively unstable.

"This concern went from a civilian bid of removal to wherever our serviceman was changeable and killed. This is senseless," Boudreaux said.

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Boudreaux besides described the affectional aftermath of the shooting, saying helium met with Hoppert’s household astatine the infirmary pursuing the deputy’s death.

"I sat down astatine the infirmary and met with the woman and his mom, and I tin archer you determination is nary consoling that household astatine this point," Boudreaux said. "Attacks connected instrumentality enforcement of this quality indispensable stop."

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On May 12, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Incident Review Board determined the usage of unit was wrong section policy. The lawsuit volition besides beryllium reviewed by the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office.

Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner contributed to this report.