Violent Parolee Shot During Rancho Santa Fe Standoff

NORTH SAN DIEGO COUNTY -- A violent parolee was shot by a Sheriff's deputy and taken into custody after he stabbed a police dog and threatened to kill a hostage at an apartment complex in Rancho Santa Fe on the morning of Dec. 3.

Just before 5:30 a.m. on the day of the incident, deputies from the Sheriff's North Coastal Station responded to a report of a person yelling and the sounds of items breaking in front of 6012 Paseo Delicias in the community of Rancho Santa Fe.

When deputies arrived a few minutes later, they said they were confronted by a white male adult about 50 to 55 years of age, who was standing in front of one of the apartments at that address and brandishing a knife. The suspect, say police, yelled at deputies that he was going to stab them.

Police say that in an attempt to take the suspect into custody with the minimum amount of force, deputies launched pepper balls at the suspect and deployed Sheriff's K-9 officer "Banjer." However, the pepper balls had no effect and suspect stabbed "Banjer" under the left eye. Deputies recovered "Banjer" and he was rushed to a local animal hospital for emergency surgery.

The suspect then broke into a nearby apartment where he confronted the resident and held them at knifepoint for a short time. The resident was able to break free of the suspect and run into the bathroom and lock the door. The suspect then yelled to deputies who were outside, that he had just "slit the throat" of the victim.

As deputies prepared to enter the apartment to rescue the victim, the suspect stepped outside and again confronted the deputies with the knife. One of the deputies fired four times, striking the suspect in the torso. Deputies took the suspect into custody and began to render first aid until paramedics could arrive. The suspect was transported to a local hospital for treatment of his wounds.

The resident of the apartment was found unhurt, inside the bathroom.

Detectives later identified the suspect as Edward Ray Nett, age 50. At the time of the shooting, Nett was on active parole for violently resisting law enforcement officers in 2015. Nett is expected to recover from the injuries he sustained, and once he's able to be released from the hospital, he's expected to be booked into jail on multiple felony charges.

"Banjer" underwent surgery, is now resting comfortably and is expected to make a full recovery, police say.

Investigators from the Sheriff's Homicide Detail and the Sheriff's North Coastal Station are conducting an investigation of the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call the Homicide Detail at (858) 974-2321/after hours at (858) 565-5200. You can also remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

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