Two people and a dog were found dead inside a San Juan Capistrano mobile home and a suspect was wounded after at least one deputy shot him on Tuesday, July 9, authorities said.
Orange County sheriff’s deputies were called to the San Juan Mobile Estates in the 32000 block of Alipaz Street, near Del Obispo Street, just past 7:30 a.m. on a call of domestic violence, authorities said.
Inside a mobile home, deputies found a 77-year-old man and a 79-year-old woman, sheriff’s Sgt. Matt Parrish said. A dog was also found dead. What types of injuries they suffered were not disclosed.
While on scene, deputies received a report of a male suspect in the area who had stolen a golf cart from the mobile home park and was chasing a maintenance worker, the Sheriff’s Department said in a news release.
Deputies found the suspect, a 41-year-old man, in the area of Calle Arroyo and a bike trail, and at least one deputy shot him.
What prompted the deputy to fire, and whether the suspect was armed with a weapon, was not provided.
The suspect, shot multiple times, was taken to a hospital and was in critical condition as of Tuesday evening, the release said.
It appeared the victims and the suspect had a family relationship, according to authorities, but the exact connections were not given.
No deputies were injured, Parrish said. It wasn’t known if the maintenance worker was injured.
“I’m devastated,” said Susan Hardwegg, park manager of San Juan Mobile Home Estates. Hardwegg, who had known the 79-year-old woman for over two years, said she would often stop by the neighborhood clubhouse and say hello as she walked Teddy, her Chihuahua.
According to Hardwegg, the couple lived in the mobile park with their two sons. She described the family as “very kind and very polite.”
The 79-year-old woman would often visit the clubhouse in the middle of the mobile park twice a day to socialize with other neighbors, said resident Jasmine Jacobs, 42. The two women, along with Jacob’s mother, would get together twice a year for a garage sale at the clubhouse.
“It’s a shame,” Jacobs said. “It’s shocking and scary at the same time.”
A teen who used to walk the woman’s dog also said she knew a lot of people in the community.
“She was a really nice and sweet old lady who was always looking out for people,” said 13-year-old Kairi Logue, who lived a few houses from the couple. She recalled that the woman once saw another woman running down the street and came outside to see if she needed help.
The names of the victims and suspect were publicly withheld by officials, who were notifying relatives.
The investigation of the deputy-involved shooting will be conducted by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, as is standard. Sheriff’s deputies in San Juan Capistrano are equipped with body-worn cameras and footage is expected to be released in the future.
