Santa Clara deputy arrested for false report of being shot in an ambush

 

Santa Clara Deputy Sukhdeep Gill surrendered himself after a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was taken into custody at the sheriff's office and booked on one felony count of vandalism and one misdemeanor count of making a false report to police.

Gill is on administrative leave. If convicted on both counts, Gill faces up to four years in prison.

Deputy District Attorney Jason Malinsky is prosecuting the case.

Malinsky said Gill was "charged today with staging a shocking ambush in which he said he was shot from a passing car as he stood on a dark rural road near Morgan Hill."

"Responding police found no serious injuries on Deputy Sukhdeep Gill. It appeared he had been shot only once, and in a miraculous spot – his body-worn camera, which was destroyed. The incident triggered a manhunt for the shooter."

Malinsky said the deputy’s story fell apart during an intensive investigation. 

"At approximately 10:32 p.m., on January 31, 2020, the deputy hit the emergency broadcast button on his department issued radio and broadcast “Shots fired! Shots fired!” Officers responded from the Sheriff’s Office as well as the San Jose, Morgan Hill, and Gilroy police departments."

"The deputy told the first officer on scene that he had parked on the dirt shoulder to urinate during a routine patrol. While walking back towards the driver side of his patrol car he was shot at by the passenger in a silver sedan that had turned off its lights as it approached him. The deputy said he fired two shots towards the suspect vehicle, which fled on Uvas Road."

Malinsky said an investigation found evidence, including ballistics, that exposed serious discrepancies in the deputy’s account. 

Santa Clara District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. "Deputy Gill's actions abused the trust of his fellow officers and diverted public safety resources away from protecting the community to investigate a made-up crime."

Santa Clara Sheriff Laurie Smith said, "If the allegations hold true, Deputy Gill's actions are not representative of the upstanding men and women of the Sheriff's Office, who risk their lives every day to serve and protect our community with honesty and integrity."

This post contains information from ABC7 Bay Area and  KPIX5 and a press release from Deputy District Attorney Malinsky.