Harrowing bodycam video captured police gunning down a distraught former California deputy sheriff who stabbed his 11-year-old son to death and led cops on a wild high-speed chase.
Footage released Friday from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office shows ex-deputy Marvin Morales trying to outrun his former colleagues on Dec. 2 after authorities said he stabbed his young son to death and was on the run, the department said in a post on Facebook.
Sheriff’s department spokesman Lt. Amar Gandhi said Morales, 40, joined the force in 2017 and was on duty until he was fired for misconduct in February 2024.
His downfall came after he allegedly overdosed on fentanyl inside the police station in October 2023 after taking the drugs from someone he stopped for questioning, the Sacramento Bee reported.
He told investigators he suffered from mental health issues and wanted to commit suicide, and was terminated from the force following an internal probe.
Last month, his life spiraled farther out of control when police in Elk Grove received a 911 call about a boy stabbed multiple times in his home, with his dad — Morales — believed to be the culprit.
A 6-year-old boy was also found inside the house, but was unharmed.
“The Elk Grove Police Department updated information to local surrounding agencies that the gun safe in his home appeared to have been emptied, and several firearms registered to Morales were missing from the home,” Gandhi said. “Deputies had since learned that Morales’ 11-year-old child had died.”
Around 9:30 a.m. police spotted Morales’ vehicle on Interstate-5, sparking a high-speed chase.
The chase raged across the interstate until the ex-cop lost control and went airborne before the vehicle came to a rest next to a tree.
“Deputies and officers gave multiple commands for Morales to exit the vehicle and walk back to them,” Gandhi said. Morales appeared to be holding an object in his hand, but dropped it.
However, the distraught former deputy then reached back inside the vehicle.
“Walk to us now, Marvin!” one deputy yells. “Walk to us. Don’t reach! Don’t reach, put it down.”
“Marvin, don’t do it,” a second Sacramento County deputy screams in the background as police canines are heard barking restlessly. “Don’t reach, man.”
A barrage of shots then rang out, and Morales is seen falling next to his vehicle.
Gandhi said the ex-cop and military vet was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Police have not revealed what may have set Morales off and prompted him to kill his own son, and said the incident is under investigation by the California Department of Justice.
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