Attorneys For Nicolas Keith’s Family Dispute Sheriff’s Narrative In Fatal Lucerne Valley Shooting

LUCERNE VALLEY, Calif. (VVNG.com) — Attorneys representing the family of Nicolas Keith announced Tuesday they plan to file a legal claim against San Bernardino County following the deputy-involved shooting that left the 34-year-old Lucerne Valley man dead on May 12.

In a written statement, attorneys Sharon J. Brunner and James S. Terrell said the family and an eyewitness dispute the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s account of the incident.

“The family of Nicolas Keith and an eyewitness strongly disputes the narrative presented in the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Press Release issued concerning the events of May 12, 2026, that lead to the death Nicolas Keith,” the attorneys stated.

The Sheriff’s Department said deputies from the Victor Valley Station responded at about 12:37 a.m. to the 32000 block of Morse Lane for a reported strong-arm robbery involving Keith.

According to the Sheriff’s Department, deputies attempted to detain Keith after he arrived at the location in a vehicle. Authorities said Keith reversed his vehicle and accelerated, striking a deputy. Two deputies then discharged their firearms, and Keith was pronounced deceased at the scene. One deputy was treated by medical personnel and released.

In the family’s statement, the attorneys said the incident “did not stem from a violent robbery, but from a mental crisis that Nicolas was experiencing and a dispute over a cellphone.”

The statement also said law enforcement had previous interactions with Keith related to his medical condition and prior requests for assistance from family members.

“Law Enforcement was familiar with Nicolas as he suffered from a traumatic brain injury and his family and loved ones had sought help from Law Enforcement on that day and the week prior,” the attorneys stated.

The family’s attorneys also questioned the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

“Evidence suggests Nicolas was arriving at the property and attempting to leave when the deputies engaged with him,” the statement said. “While attempting to leave Nicolas’ vehicle became immobilized. The deputies shot and killed Nicolas while he was seat belted in his vehicle.”

The attorneys further stated, “The facts from an eyewitness directly contradict the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department implication that Nicolas presented an imminent risk to them or anyone at the scene.”

The statement called for “the immediate preservation and release of all body-worn camera footage, dash camera footage, dispatch communications.”

Attorneys said a governmental tort claim, which is required before filing a lawsuit against a public agency, is expected to be filed against San Bernardino County on behalf of Keith’s parents.

“This case deserved a full, transparent and independent investigation,” the attorneys stated.

The Sheriff’s Department said the California Department of Justice has assumed the investigation, which remains ongoing.

Related Article: Lucerne Valley Man Fatally Shot After Allegedly Hitting Deputy With Vehicle

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