Transient is shot while attacking deputy with baseball bat

A San Diego County Sheriff’s deputy from the Fallbrook substation shot a transient who attacked him with a baseball bat the morning of Dec. 21.

The incident occurred at 4:30 a.m. when Fallbrook deputies were performing surveillance in the area of Reche Road and Ranger Road looking for a male suspect who on three occasions – at 8 p.m. Dec. 19 and at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Dec. 20 – attacked people sitting in their cars with a bat.

The unprovoked attacks on three male victims resulted in damage to the vehicles – primarily shattered windows – and one victim having to go to a hospital for treatment of...