An investigation is underway after a homeless Black man was fatally shot Wednesday during a struggle with two Orange County deputies.
On Sept. 23, just after 1 p.m., two Orange County deputies of the department’s Homeless Outreach Team made contact with 42-year-old Kurt Andreas Reinhold near Hotel Miramar in San Clemente, California.
OCSD Sgt. Dennis Breckner said that after “an altercation broke out,” two shots were fired. It was not made immediately clear if one or both deputies fired their weapon, but authorities later said one deputy fired his gun.
The deputies performed life-saving measures, but Reinhold was pronounced dead on the scene.
Footage of the incident from both a cellphone and a nearby surveillance camera was reviewed by officials. The struggle began on the sidewalk, continued in the street, then ended back on the sidewalk.
Cellphone footage shows Reinhold standing in the street, repeating “stop touching me!” as the two deputies stand by, accusing him of jaywalking.
“Where did I jaywalk?” Reinhold asks.
On deputy instructs Reinhold to “go sit down,” while pointing towards the sidewalk.
“For what?” Reinhold asks.
“’Cause I told you to,” the deputy responds.
“Who are you?!” says Reinhold.
After the video cuts, Reinhold and the two officers are standing closer to the sidewalk. A physical struggle ensues, and both deputies pin Reinhold to the ground. Seconds later, shots are fired.
Chloe Miller, 23, who witnessed the encounter, told the Orange County Register: “I heard two shots, and it was after he was on the ground.”
Carrie Braun, a spokesperson for the department, said three minutes passed between the time the deputies made contact with Reinhold and the point at which point shots were fired. She also said Reinhold tried to gain control of one of the deputies’ guns.
Breckner said it appears that only one deputy fired his weapon. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office will investigate the shooting and the sheriff’s department will also conduct an administrative investigation.
On Thursday morning protesters gathered on the street where Reinhold was shot, and five people were arrested.
Reinhold’s last home address was located in Los Angeles.
