Ron Ely challenges Santa Barbara district attorney after fatal shooting of his son deemed 'justifiable'

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The attorney representing “Tarzan" actor Ron Ely and his family is challenging the Santa Barbara County District Attorney in California after it recently ruled the fatal shooting of his son a "justifiable homicide."

Attorney John Burris said in a news conference Thursday that Cameron Ely never claimed to have a gun before deputies opened fire in the 2019 confrontation. He said Cameron Ely surrendered with his hands up.

An investigation found that Cameron Ely, 30, stabbed his mother, 62-year-old Valerie Lundeen Ely, to death before he was shot outside his father’s home in Hope Ranch, a suburb of luxury homes outside Santa Barbara.

The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department said the deputies found Ely outside the home. The agency said Cameron Ely told them he had a gun and that he moved his hands as if he were grabbing a weapon.

FATAL SHOOTING OF 'TARZAN' ACTOR RON ELY'S SON BY POLICE DETERMINED TO BE A 'JUSTIFIABLE HOMICIDE'

The deputies fired 24 rounds at Cameron Ely. No weapon was found.

Police recently determined that the shooting death of 'Tarzan' actor Ron Ely's son was a 'justifiable homicide.'  (Tibrina Hobson/FilmMagic)

Last week, no charges were filed against the deputies who shot and killed Cameron Ely. The district attorney described the deputies’ actions in the shooting as a justifiable homicide.

But Burris said the deputies “engaged in the unjustified use of deadly force.”

“If he didn’t have a gun or he didn’t have a weapon, what was the basis of shooting him?” Burris said. “They may have very well thought he was involved in some other activity involving the mom. But that’s not a basis to shoot and kill him. You have to have a lawful basis to do that.”

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Ron Ely, 81, played the title character on the NBC series “Tarzan,” which ran from 1966 to 1968. He also hosted the Miss America pageant between 1980-81.

The actor was home at the time of the stabbing, but there is no report that he was injured.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.