A man died Tuesday following an officer-involved shooting near the Tule River in Porterville, according to the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies assigned to the Sheriff’s Office HEART (Homeless Enforcement Assistance Response) Team were conducting routine patrol checks on the northeast side of the Tule River near the Plano Bridge when they noticed a man trespassing on private property on Monday. When deputies attempted to contact him, he ran away.

Just after 11 a.m. on Tuesday, members of the HEART team returned to the area to try to make contact with the same suspect. Authorities said the man ran again and hid among trees where deputies believe he had been living.

According to the sheriff’s office, the suspect refused to come out and began violently resisting when a deputy attempted contact. A Taser was deployed but was ineffective. The suspect then allegedly grabbed a two- to three-foot-long stick, possibly a shovel handle, and struck the deputy.

Authorities said the deputy fired his weapon during a second swing of the stick. The suspect died at the scene.

The Porterville Police Department is investigating the shooting. The deputy involved has been placed on standard administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

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