California Pastor Says Deputy Pushed His Way Into Their Home And Shot Unarmed, Mentally Ill Son

A California pastor says that an “aggressive” deputy forced his way into the family’s home before shooting their unarmed, mentally ill son. Pastor Ted Rose says that when the officer arrived to the home his 24-year-old son Johnathan was asleep. The family had called 911 for assistance with Johnathan 45 minutes earlier; however, by the time the officer got there nearly an hour later, the boy had calmed down and was asleep in his bed. Despite the fact that the family told the officer everything was fine, he allegedly pushed his way into the home and demanded that Johnathan wake up. It was after the mentally ill man awoke that the confrontation began. The family claims the officer hit their son in the head with his flashlight before the pair began throwing punches. At that point, the officer drew his weapon and shot Johnathan in the chest multiple times.

The Daily Mail reports that pastor Ted Rose is suing the deputy and the sheriff’s office for the death of his son in the incident involving officer David McEntire. The pastor notes that his son was unarmed and was sleeping when the officer arrived to check on a 911 call that was made 45 minutes prior to his arrival. The Rose family claim that they called 911 for assistance with calming down Johnathan as they had done on other occasions. However, officer David McEntire would not arrive until 45 minutes later. By this time the family was able to give the mentally ill son his medication and he went to sleep.

When the deputy David McEntire arrived to the home, the family informed them that there was no longer a need for assistance, but they claim the officer demanded to see their son. Upon entering the home, the Rose family alleges that McEntire yelled for Johnathan to wake up and told him to stand. Once the mentally ill man stood, his father says the officer pushed him against a wall. When Johnathan, who was frightened from being woke from his sleep, began to struggle the officer hit him in the head with a flashlight. Ted says the officer then put his son in a bear hug and began punching him. In return, the father says Johnathan began punching the officer in return and that is when the officer pulled his weapon and fired multiple shots into his son’s chest. Johnathan Rose would die in his father’s arm in their family home. Now the family is demanding justice for the 2012 shooting and are taking both officer David McEntire and the sheriff’s department to court.

According to the Sacramento Bee, the officer involved in the shooting, David McEntire, was investigated for numerous other excessive force claims. Therefore, the family says the use of excessive force was habitual for the officer. Rose’s attorney, Stewart Katz says that McEntire is the only deputy employed with the Sacramento County with six or more “excessive force complaints” on file.

“Deputy McEntire is the only deputy still employed with Sacramento County who has been the subject of six or more excessive force complaints since 2008.”

However, Deputy Tony Turnbull, a spokesman for the department, claims that each of the excessive force allegations were investigated.

“All use-of-force complaints are investigated by our professional standards bureau. They’re all taken seriously, and they’re all investigated to their totality. There is no evidence that the complaints were not properly investigated and/or that the disposition of the complaints was in some way deficient.”

Despite the allegations that the complaints were thoroughly investigated, the Rose family says they have no plans of backing out of the lawsuit against David McEntire and the sheriff’s office for the wrongful death of their son Jonathan Rose.

[Image Credit: Getty Images/ Kevin Hagen]