August 1, 2024 - RIVERSIDE, California – A Victorville man has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging he stole a service weapon belonging to a San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy responding to a call and then fired that weapon while attacking her, the Justice Department announced on Wednesday.

Ari Aki Young, 26, is charged with three felonies: one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), one count of using and discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of possession of a stolen firearm and stolen ammunition.

Young is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in Riverside.

“In responding to a domestic disturbance call and trying to protect defendant’s mother, the victim was met by a defendant who allegedly beat her, robbed her of her service weapon, and shot at her as she ran for her life,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Defendant’s violent assault on a peace officer is completely unacceptable. Our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line for us every day and deserve to be protected from violent attacks such as this one.”

“This vicious attack on a law enforcement deputy while she was attempting to help a victim was inhumane,” said Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Los Angeles Field Division Christopher Bombardiere. “These violent individuals will be held accountable for their merciless attacks. ATF is committed to building cases against the ruthless individuals who have no regard for other’s lives.”

According to an affidavit attached to the complaint, which was filed on July 28, this incident occurred in Victorville on September 4, 2019. That morning, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (SBSD) received a 911 emergency call from Young’s mother pleading with police to remove Young from her home. The victim, a female sheriff’s deputy who weighed 135 pounds, responded to the call – alone.

The victim then attempted to pat Young down for weapons. Young resisted and threatened to headbutt her. Young then forcefully knocked away the deputy’s baton and began to pummel her in the head and face with his fists. A neighbor captured part of the incident on video. While being punched in the face and head, the victim unholstered her weapon and warned that she would shoot. Instead of stopping, Young knocked the victim to the ground and straddled the top of her and grappled with her, trying to take her gun from her.

During the struggle, two rounds discharged from the gun. Young allegedly then ripped the gun from her grip. After he had the gun, Young stood upright, racked the gun, and pointed it at the deputy as she staggered to her feet, pleaded for her life, and tried to sprint away from him, the affidavit alleges. Young then fired a round towards her.  In so doing, Young knowingly and willfully robbed the victim of a service weapon and ammunition belonging to SBSD. Young allegedly took the weapon and ammunition, which traveled in interstate commerce, from the victim – an on-duty sheriff’s deputy – by means of actual and threatened force, violence, and fear of immediate and future injury to the victim.

After shooting towards the deputy, Young allegedly kept that gun in his hand, racked it again, and walked towards the additional deputies who had just arrived on scene. Young did not drop the gun. Instead, he fired another round into the air, prompting the deputies to fire at him, wounding him. Young was given immediate medical attention.

The victim suffered severe bruising and was medically retired after the incident.

A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

If convicted of all charges, Young would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison on the Hobbs Act charge and 10 additional years on each of the remaining two offenses.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating this matter.

Assistant United States Attorney Lisa J. Lindhorst of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Source: DOJ Release