The boy shot to death by a deputy in Apple Valley was autistic and became violent over a domestic dispute, family attorney says.

APPLE VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) — We’re learning more about what led to a deadly encounter between a 15-year-old boy and San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies at his Apple Valley home.

A deputy shot and killed Ryan Gainer at his home Saturday after his family reported that he had attacked his sister and smashed the door and windows of the home.

Body camera video released by the sheriff’s office shows the boy charging at the deputy with a sharp garden tool attached to a 5-foot-tall pole.

The deputy, holding a gun, tries to back away, yelling, “Hey, get back! Get back or you’ll get shot.” As Ryan continued to run towards him with the tools, the deputy was seen attempting to run away but pointing his gun at the boy as he tried to catch up to him.

The released portion of the video ends there, but police say the boy was shot and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Ryan’s family hired a lawyer, who told Eyewitness News that the boy has autism and had become violent after an argument over domestic matters.

“Ryan is a 15-year-old with autism who sometimes runs away to relieve stress or get a little too excited,” attorney DeWitt Lacy said.

“When he came back, there was an argument because he wanted to play video games and he had to do chores, and then he started acting out.”

Gaynor’s sister called 911 for help. Audio of her public calls shows her telling a dispatcher that her brother was attacking her sister and breaking the windows and doors of her home. .

There is no evidence in the released audio that his family informed authorities about his mental health.

Neighbors say deputies have been called to the home before. When shown the video, several neighbors differed on whether it was necessary to shoot Ryan or whether the situation could have been de-escalated in some way.

“He was struggling with some things, but basically he was a good kid,” one neighbor said.

Another neighbor said watching the video it appears the deputy had no choice but to defend himself.

“When a police officer is attacked with any kind of weapon, especially in a situation like that, when you look at that video, you just don’t realize how many options you had not to act,” neighbor Joe Gabler said. he said.

The Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Division is investigating the incident.

San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicas released the following statement regarding the incident:

“We need to strengthen the social safety net for those suffering from mental illness. Every day, our legislators respond to seemingly insurmountable calls, and most of these calls do not end in violence. But this call ended in tragedy for Ryan, his family, and the deputy.”Who responded? A rapidly unfolding violent encounter is one of the most difficult, requiring split-second decisions.” Although these decisions are legal, they are terrible from the perspective of our humanity. My heart goes out to both Ryan’s family and my representatives, who will have a hard time with this matter.” A lifetime. ”