DELANO, Calif. (KERO) — Residents in Porterville are expressing shock and confusion after witnessing a shooting involving suspect David Morales that left Deputy Robert Hoppert struck by gunfire.
Homeowner Juan Alvarado said he feels sick to his stomach and regrets the moment he looked up to see what was going on.
"I don’t think I'm doing too well. I feel nauseous, I feel dizzy," Alvarado said.
"What I witnessed was that, them shooting back at him and then I saw when the officer got hit," Alvarado said.
Alvarado lived next to Morales for about 20 years but did not know his name until yesterday. Alvarado said Morales typically kept to himself, was often seen wearing camouflaged clothing and a baseball cap, and had an unsettling demeanor. Months before the shooting, Morales got into an altercation with a neighbor.
"I’m shocked over what happened but I'm not surprised that he is the one involved, I’ll just say it that way," Alvarado said.
Throughout the day, officers worked to process the scene, clear debris, remove the bearcat, and board up the home. Other residents in the area noted they had never seen something like this happen in their own backyards.
Continuing to digest the news, Alvarado keeps Hoppert’s family in his thoughts.
"I want the family to know the hero, your husband, your dad, your son, he was a hero," Alvarado said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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