Sheriff’s Deputy Riley Jarecki was on patrol when she spotted a parked car she surmised as suspiciously parked. Jarecki parked her patrol car and walked over to 43-year-old Javier Hernandez Morales, who was sitting in the parked car at the time.
Jarecki approached the car from the passenger-side and asked Morales if she could look around and check the inside of the vehicle, Morales says ok. Jarecki then walks around and approaches the driver-side and ask Morales to roll the window down. Morales complied, but then opened fire on the Deputy, she retreats to the passenger side of the vehicle and radios for backup. As Jarecki calls for help, she returns fire, emptying her service weapon hitting and killing Morales.
The Napa County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post the shooting took place around 11 p.m. on Sunday along a rural road near Napa.
“It’s graphic, it’s brutal, it’s sudden,” Napa County Undersheriff Jon Crawford said at a news conference about the released video.
In the released body-cam video, Morales can be seen rolling the window down, then raising a revolver and firing one shot at the Deputy. Officials said in addition to the revolver, Morales had a loaded 22.LR rifle in the car.
“We are extremely proud of her, she did a great job, her dad’s very proud of her,” Napa County Sheriff John Robertson told KTVU.
“It’s been a difficult couple of days, but we’re so thankful,” Napa County Sheriff John Robertson told KTVU. “I’m so thankful she got right on her radio, did exactly what she was trained to do, and we’re proud of her not giving up and fighting to the end.”
Morales has a been deported twice, has a criminal history including a DUI, an assault on an officer and weapons violations, according to police.
Deputy Jarecki was not injured, but has been placed on administrative leave and shooting remains under investigation by the Napa County Major Crimes Task Force.
