Carlsbad – On Friday, March 29, 2024, at approximately 11:15 p.m., a Carlsbad Police Officer was driving west in a marked patrol car in the 1000 block of Carlsbad Village Drive underneath the I-5 freeway when a rock struck the spotlight and front windshield of his patrol car. The impact from the rock strike destroyed the spotlight and damaged the windshield. The officer called for a supervisor and pulled into a nearby parking lot to inspect the damage. As the officer and supervisor were inspecting the damage to his patrol car, a suspect ran up behind the officer and without warning or provocation, assaulted the officer by striking him in the head with a skateboard. The officer who was struck in the head took out his service weapon, and as he sought cover from a nearby business, discharged his firearm three times at the suspect as he ran west through the parking lot. Simultaneously, the sergeant chased the suspect on foot west on Carlsbad Village Drive. Additional officers arrived in the area and after approximately three blocks, the suspect was taken into custody without incident. The officer was not engaged in enforcement activities when his car was struck by a rock or when the suspect assaulted the officer.
The suspect was not struck by gunfire and there are no injuries to any citizens. The officer was transported to a local hospital with serious head injuries and remained there for treatment. Detectives from the San Diego Police Department Homicide Unit are currently investigating this incident. The skateboard used in the assault on the Carlsbad Police Officer was recovered at the scene. Detectives are currently investigating whether the rock that struck the patrol car in this incident was an accident or intentional act carried out by the suspect or another person.
The Carlsbad Police Officer who fired his weapon has been employed by Carlsbad Police Department since September of 2022. He is currently assigned as a patrol officer and has a total of 8 years of law enforcement experience with Carlsbad Police Department and another law enforcement agency. That officer has been identified as Michael McKinney.
The suspect in this case has been identified as Kyle McCord of San Diego. He is described as a 32- year-old white male. McCord was booked into Vista Jail for Attempted Murder of a Police Officer and Committing a Felony While on Bond or Release. Additional charges will be determined by the District Attorney’s office once Detectives have completed their preliminary investigation at the scene.
Per the Countywide Memorandum of Understanding, the San Diego Police Homicide Unit was called to the scene to conduct the officer-involved-shooting investigation. Detectives are currently collecting physical evidence from the scene, interviewing witnesses, and examining the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
The investigation and review process for officer-involved shootings are extremely thorough. When the Homicide Unit completes its investigation, it will be reviewed by the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office to determine if the officer bears any criminal liability for his actions. The Carlsbad Police Department will conduct an administrative investigation into the officer’s discharge of his firearm. The Federal Bureau of Investigations and the United States Attorney’s Office will also be monitoring the investigation.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the San Diego Police Homicide
Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
**Any inquiries regarding the officer’ s condition should be directed to the Lieutenant Eric
Kovanda of the Carlsbad Police Department at Eric.Kovanda@Carlsbadca.gov
