Man Tasered near Frazier Park School — WATCH THE VIDEO

  • The man police were calling Phillip Turner is repeatedly asked to lie down on the ground, before officers subdued him with a Taser. Call 661-245-NEWS if you have further information about this story. [photo by Gary Meyer, The Mountain Enterprise]

    The man police were calling Phillip Turner is repeatedly asked to lie down on the ground, before officers subdued him with a Taser. Call 661-245-NEWS if you have further information about this story. [photo by Gary Meyer, The Mountain Enterprise]

A suspect is tasered by law enforcement officers in Frazier Park, California at about 5:45 p.m. on December 17, 2011, after he appears to be unwilling or unable to follow instructions from an officer speaking to him on a megaphone. [video by The Mountain Enterprise]

UPDATE-FRAZIER PARK, CA (Monday, Dec. 19, 2011 at 5 a.m.)— After two interviews with The Mountain Enterprise on Sunday, Sgt. Marvin Gomez of the Kern County Sheriff’s Office issued a press release on this event on Monday, Dec. 19 at 1:40 a.m. under the title: Man Arrested in Frazier Park for Weapons Possession. This is the KCSO release:


On December 17, 2011, Frazier Park Substation deputies, with assistance from Lamont Substation deputies and officers from the California Highway Patrol, responded to the Frazier Park Elementary school located in the 3100 block of San Carlos Trail regarding the report of a suicidal subject armed with a gun. Deputies and CHP officers searched the area, including the school grounds, but were unable to locate the subject.

A few minutes after the school was searched, the Sheriff’s Office received another call from the 700 block of San Emidio Way regarding the report of a suspicious circumstance. A male subject was reported to be jumping on a fence and on top of a car. When deputies arrived, the male subject, later identified as Phillip Turner (40 years old), refused their commands to stop and was seen in possession of a handgun. Turner entered a residence in the 700 block of San Emidio Way and refused to come out. Based on the circumstances, it appeared Turner was involved with the previous call at the elementary school. Investigation revealed Turner was prohibited from legally possessing firearms.

After approximately 30 minutes, Turner exited the residence but continued to be uncooperative with deputies and CHP officers. Turner resisted arrest and was taken into custody with the assistance of an Electronic Control Device to prevent serious bodily injury to Turner or responding officers.

Turner was booked into the Central Receiving Facility for violation of Felon in possession of a firearm, Possession of a deadly weapon, Resisting arrest, and Public intoxication. SR11-30569.


Read the report in the upcoming issue of The Mountain Enterprise for additional details, and read below for the reporting from the scene by our reporter, who observed the events on Saturday.

UPDATE—FRAZIER PARK, CA (Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011 at 7:20 p.m.)—The suspect has been in custody for approximately 90 minutes. A phone call was received at the newspaper from a customer at Don’s Market (across the street from the Sheriff’s substation in Frazier Park). The caller said the suspect is locked inside a sheriff’s patrol car with the window down and can be heard throughout the area shouting disturbing obscenities. The caller said that children are walking in and out of Don’s Market. He asked whether the suspect will be prevented from screaming obscenities in the presence of children and said, "It sounds as if he needs to be taken for mental health observation…."

UPDATE—FRAZIER PARK, CA (Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011 at 5:59 p.m.)—The man has been taken into custody by officers. He exited the house but was either unwilling or unable to follow instructions to go to the ground with his hands in front of him. He reached toward his back and was subdued by an officer with a taser. This has been recorded on video by The Mountain Enterprise and wlll be placed online shortly.

UPDATE—FRAZIER PARK, CA (Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011 at 5:44 p.m.)—Law enforcement is calling commands to "Phillip Turner." At this time we do not know how that name has been secured.

UPDATE—FRAZIER PARK, CA (Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011 at 5:29 p.m.)—A man with a white van is believed to be barricaded inside a house, possibly with a handgun, near street number 721 San Emidio Way in Frazier Park. Radio transmissions indicate there is a restraining order associated with the house. Law enforcement is speaking through a loudspeaker, telling hte man to come outside. A reporter for The Mountain Enterprise is at the scene.

Neighbors said that a white male in his 30s, wearing black pants and possibly a gray sweater, had walked up their driveway saying, "Shut your dogs up, you stupid Mexicans." The man got into his van parked in front of a house two doors down and began honking his horn.

Two sheriff’s deputies, two CHP units and a Ventura County sheriff’s unit surrounded the van, telling the man to get out of the vehicle, get on the ground and to ‘show us your hands.’ Instead he got out of the van and walked into the house, closing the door. Law enforcement is securing the perimeter.

Above and behind the house, on a road on top of the hill, is a large crane with production lights where the commercial is being shot. This event is not related to the filming.

FRAZIER PARK, CA (Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011 at 5:10 p.m.)—Radio dispatchers reported there was a man standing on Frazier Park School property on Saturday at about 4:50 p.m. with a gun. There is also a Toyota commercial being shot nearby, with equipment being staged on school property. The Mountain Enterprise responded to the area to observe.

In an interview, the owner of High Mountain Market told The Mountain Enterprise he could see a man holding a handgun behind the market. The owner said he could hear the man saying he was going to shoot himself. He called 911. It appears that the man with the gun is not associated with the commercial filming.

Sheriff’s deputies arrived and have been walking across the area, looking for the man with the gun. At 5:05 p.m. they have not been able to locate him.

This is part of the December 16, 2011 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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