Law enforcement officials said Thursday that although Sgt. Joel Nebel of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department had been arrested in connection to an alleged residential shooting in Valencia, charges had not yet been brought forward by prosecutors.
Nebel was formally arrested on July 30, three days after reportedly shooting his weapon at 7:29 a.m. on the 25400 block of Plaza Escovar, off of Wiley Canyon Road.
Few details about the incident have been released by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and the reason for the shooting has not yet been disclosed. Officials did confirm at the time of the incident that a LASD Mental Evaluation Team was dispatched to the scene and one person was transported to the hospital by the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department arrest records show that Nebel was booked at the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station on a felony charge. The records indicate that he was released on $35,000 bond that same day.
On Thursday, Ricardo Santiago, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, said he did not see a criminal complaint filed for Nebel.
When asked to confirm Nebel’s rank and station assignment within the department, if LASD had taken any disciplinary action against him, or if there were any further details about the investigation outside of what was previously reported the day of the incident, officials with the Sheriff’s Information Bureau declined to comment on Thursday.
“Due to the active investigation, we are unable to comment directly about the incident,” said Deputy Du Busky. “What we can tell you is an investigation team is conducting interviews and a panel of executives will be reviewing the decision-making process and the events leading up to the incident.”
On the morning of the incident, neighbor Ron Van Der Meer said he heard a burst of approximately seven gunshots.
“It seemed like a burst of five and then a short pause and then two more,” he said, adding that about 10-15 minutes later squad cars began to arrive. “We heard the sirens.”
A home at the end of the street had a broken window, as well as shattered garage door windows, and Van Der Meer said he saw deputies first knock, before breaking down the door of that home.
“I think the people who lived there moved out about a week ago … and it’s vacant,” he added.
The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station confirmed later that day that the suspect was an LASD employee on approved leave from work and that the investigation was being conducted by the Sheriff’s Department’s Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau.
