A Colton Police officer shot and killed himself yesterday in what is being characterized as accident that occurred in the desert community of Oro Grande.
Lorenzo Morgan, 29, who attended the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Academy for its 23-week course from April 2019 until September 2019, graduating with the department’s Class 215 before being hired by the Colton Police Department, was in his car near the intersection of National Trails Highway and Mill Street in Oro Grande when the shooting occurred.
Morgan, who was off duty and roughly 15 miles from his home in Apple Valley, himself phoned in the report of the mishap at 2:46 p.m. He related to sheriff’s dispatch personnel that he had sustained a gunshot wound below his waist as the result of an accidental discharge of his gun, and gave his location, saying he was parked to the side of the road.
Within 17 minutes of the call coming in, a paramedics unit and deputies had reached Morgan, who had shot himself in the leg, piercing his femoral artery. At that point he was in a state of both hemorrhagic shock and full hypovolemic shock. He was rapidly transported to Victor Valley Global Medical Center in Victorville, located 5.9 miles from where he was found.
Morgan had lost more than seven pints of his roughly 11.5-pint volume of blood, which led to his heart seizing up.
Despite valiant efforts by all involved in applying aggressive life-saving measures, he was lost.
Based on Morgan’s statement to the dispatch center, the conclusion of investigators is that the shooting was accidental, and Morgan’s death warrants no further inquiry or criminal investigation.
Before Morgan’s body was transported out of Victor Valley Global Medical Center, it was draped in an American flag, and was provided with a procession of honor escort to the sheriff’s coroner facility in San Bernardino.
Previous to his work as a police officer, Morgan, who had a Bachelor of Science degree in informational technology from the University of Phoenix, had worked as a behavioral therapist with disabled children.
“Officer L. Morgan was a beloved father, friend, colleague, and a caring officer who loved working for the Colton Community,” according to the Colton Police Department. “He is survived by his parents, fiancé, son, and soon-to-be-born son.”