Tulare County Deputy Killed in Porterville Eviction Ambush; Suspect Later Killed When BearCat Armored Vehicle Runs Over Him
A Tulare County deputy, Randy Hoppert — a Navy corpsman from 2010–2015 who joined the sheriff’s office on Jan. 5, 2020 — was killed in an ambush while deputies served an eviction in Porterville and was pronounced dead at Sierra View District Hospital at 11:57 a.m. Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said the suspect, David Eric Morales, who had not paid rent for about 35 days and was the subject of a final eviction notice, lay in wait and repeatedly fired at officers (including shooting down a drone) and was later killed when a law-enforcement BearCat armored vehicle ran over him; Boudreaux said Morales "was not shot."
📌 Key Facts
- Deputy Randy Hoppert was killed in the Porterville ambush; Hoppert, a Navy corpsman from 2010–2015 who joined the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office on Jan. 5, 2020, was pronounced dead at Sierra View District Hospital at 11:57 a.m.
- The suspect was identified as David Eric Morales; deputies say he had not paid rent for 35 days and that officers were serving a final eviction notice when he allegedly lay in wait and opened fire.
- Morales repeatedly fired at law enforcement during an hours-long standoff, including shooting down a drone, and multiple tactical vehicles sustained gunfire.
- Sheriff Mike Boudreaux confirmed Morales was lying prone in camouflage and was still considered an active threat when a law enforcement BearCat armored vehicle ran over him and killed him; Boudreaux said Morales "was not shot" and "one of the BearCats ran over him and killed him."
- Boudreaux added, “Don’t shoot at cops. You shoot at cops, we’re going to run you over. He got run over. He got what he deserved,” a remark noted as likely to fuel public debate about rhetoric and use-of-force standards.
📊 Relevant Data
In California, officers reported using force more often in stops of individuals perceived as Black or Hispanic/Latine(x) compared to other groups, with Black individuals experiencing the highest average number of actions during stops.
RIPA 2026 Executive Summary — California Department of Justice
In Tulare County, California, the poverty rate for Black residents is 25.5%, compared to 22.9% for White residents, based on American Community Survey data.
American Community Survey: Tulare County, California — U.S. Census Bureau (via data portal)
Nationwide, from 2013 to 2026, police killings per 1 million people show Black people are 2.8 times more likely to be killed by police than White people.
Mapping Police Violence — Mapping Police Violence
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Sheriff Mike Boudreaux confirms the suspect, David Eric Morales, was killed when a law enforcement BearCat armored vehicle ran over him while he was lying prone on the ground in camouflage and still considered an active threat.
- Boudreaux states explicitly that Morales "was not shot" and that "one of the BearCats ran over him and killed him."
- The killed officer is identified as Deputy Randy Hoppert, a Navy corpsman from 2010–2015 who joined the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office on Jan. 5, 2020; he was pronounced dead at Sierra View District Hospital at 11:57 a.m.
- The article adds that Morales had not paid rent for 35 days and that deputies were serving a final eviction notice when he allegedly lay in wait and opened fire.
- New quote from Sheriff Boudreaux: “Don’t shoot at cops. You shoot at cops, we’re going to run you over. He got run over. He got what he deserved,” which is likely to fuel public debate about rhetoric and use-of-force standards.
- Additional tactical detail: Morales repeatedly fired at law enforcement, including shooting down a drone, and multiple tactical vehicles took gunfire during the hours-long standoff.