What began as a seemingly ordinary neighbor dispute in a California desert community quickly escalated into a dangerous confrontation, authorities say, after a 22-year-old man allegedly armed himself with a sword, threatened to kill his neighbor and rushed toward a sheriff’s deputy.
Recently released body camera video shows the tense Aug. 3 encounter at Desert Oasis Mobile Estates in Rosamond, where Kern County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a disturbance call at about 5:30 p.m.
When the deputy arrived, 22-year-old Joshua Dribin said he was angry at a neighbor who, he claimed, had been repeatedly revving his truck while Dribin was trying to sleep. Dribin told the deputy he had already asked the neighbor to stop, but the noise allegedly continued.
“I’m going to make him where he can’t come near me,” Dribin says in the bodycam footage.
The deputy quickly warned him that he could not take matters into his own hands.
“I can too and you guys can’t stop me. I’ll be right back,” Dribin replies.
Moments later, the confrontation grew more alarming. According to the footage, Dribin can be heard shouting from inside his home that he was going to “take care of it.”
The deputy attempted to intervene trying to reassure Dribin that he was going to talk with the neighbor about the noise. But the suspect appeared to grow increasingly agitated.
“I’m tired of him waking me up! I’m going to go kill him now! I’m done!” he shouted.
The deputy then radioed that Dribin had a sword. Moments later, Dribin emerged from the residence armed with the blade. He then allegedly confronted the deputy and charged toward him.
“Hold that gun, bitch! Go ahead and shoot me!” Dribin yelled.
The deputy ultimately opened fire as Dribin advanced. The suspect was struck and suffered injuries that authorities said were not life-threatening. Deputies provided treatment at the scene before he was transported by ambulance to a hospital.
No deputies or other civilians were injured in the shooting.
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Dribin was subsequently arrested and faces several charges, including assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, resisting a peace officer using force, and exhibiting a deadly weapon at a peace officer to resist arrest.
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Division took over the investigation into the shooting, as is standard for deadly-force incidents involving department personnel. The findings are submitted to the Kern County District Attorney’s Office for criminal review.
On Sept. 3, the department’s Incident Review Board examined the use of force during the confrontation.
The board determined that the deputy’s use of force was within department policy, according to the sheriff’s office.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Kern County Sheriff’s Office at 661-861-3110 or Kern Secret Witness at 661-322-4040.
