Paso Robles man lunges at deputies with a knife

November 1, 2020

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

An hours-long standoff outside a North County senior living complex Friday morning concluded with a Paso Robles man charging at a deputy with a knife and officers shooting him with bean bag rounds.

The man was visiting his grandmother at her senior living apartment in the 2800 block of Ramada Drive south of the Paso Robles city limits. The grandmother became concerned with the erratic behavior of her grandson, Jeffrey Alan Gomez, and feared he may be experiencing a mental health crisis, according to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office.

When deputies arrived at the scene, Gomez, 30, ran into the apartment and barricaded himself inside with a knife. The grandmother had left the apartment shortly before the deputies arrived.

Authorities instructed residents of the senior living complex to shelter in place.

For about three hours, sheriff’s negotiators and mental health workers tried to engage Gomez in dialogue. Gomez appeared to be very agitated, at one point breaking the front window of the apartment and throwing items, including a television set, out the window.

After another hour of negotiations, Gomez jumped through the broken window and charged at a deputy with the knife. Deputies fired less lethal bean bag rounds at Gomez, striking him.

Even after being struck by bean bag rounds, Gomez continued charging at the deputy with the knife.

CHP officers who were on scene then tased Gomez, at which point the suspect threw the knife at the deputy. Gomez did not harm the deputy.

Even so, deputies arrested Gomez for assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer.

Medics at the scene examined Gomez. He suffered lacerations to his face and body when jumping out of the broken window.

Gomez is currently being held in the San Luis Obispo County Jail with his bail set at $50,000.