Former California deputy shocked at acquittal of attacker who shot at her: 'It just blows my mind'

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Former Sheriff's deputy speaks out on attacker's not guilty verdict

Former San Bernardino Sheriff's deputy Meagan McCarthy tells 'Fox News @ Night' the not guilty verdict in her attacker's case sets a bad 'precedent.'

A former California Sheriff's deputy is speaking out after her attacker was acquitted despite a shocking video showing him brutally beating her, taking her gun and firing at her.

The suspect, Ari Young, was acquitted of attempted murder and assault by a jury in connection with the 2019 incident. The beating, caught on camera, shows the pair wrestling as they fell to the ground, shortly before he grabbed her firearm and shot at her while she attempted to flee the scene. 

Former San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputy Meagan McCarthy joined "Fox News @ Night" to discuss the harrowing incident, recounting the frightening moment she said her own gun was pointed in her face. 

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Ari Young seen holding McCarthy's gun in a still image taken from a neighbor's cellphone video. Multiple shots could be heard before backup arrived.

"The only thing that I thought was that was it," McCarthy told I had so much pain to my face from the broken bones and the punches, that that was the only thing I thought that I just got murdered."

"And by the grace of God, a malfunction saved my life. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't be here today," she continued. "So I turn, and I run away, and I hear another gunshot go off, and I know he's firing at me as I'm running away."

A California jury found Young not guilty of attempted murder and assaulting a peace officer, instead finding him guilty of the lesser charge of negligent discharge of a firearm, and failed to reach a verdict on several other allegations, including resisting arrest.

Raj Malin, the defense lawyer, told Los Angeles' ABC 7 that McCarthy did not have reasonable suspicion to justify patting down his schizophrenic client when she arrived on scene.

"The issue was, was the initial detention of Mr. Young legal?" he told the station. "If it's not, then he's not guilty. ... He could punch her 100 times, and it wouldn't matter."

McCarthy rushed to the home and saw a man with "clenched fists" who came outside and then made a "bee-line" in her direction as she got out of her patrol vehicle. Behind him was his mother, with a knife in her hand and still on the phone with dispatch.

"It's just heartbreaking for the whole institution of law enforcement," McCarthy said. "You're called to help someone, and somehow you become the villain. Somehow I didn't do something right where somebody thought that they could take a police officer's gun, pointed out their forehead, pull the trigger, and you walk free."

"It just blows my mind that that happened. I just sit here, and I wonder, how did we get to that point?" she continued. 

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McCarthy was the first deputy to arrive at the house and the suspect, Ari Young, looked "very angry," she said. Video taken on a neighbor's cellphone shows he started pummeling her in the face. He then beat her to the ground, seized her gun and began firing shots in her direction. Her injuries included a broken thumb and a black eye.

The September attack left McCarthy with a broken thumb and black eye. She also developed post traumatic stress disorder that eventually forced her to retire from law enforcement. (Meagan McCarthy)

But McCarthy said she worries about the "precedent" her alleged attacker's acquittal has for morale within law enforcement, which is already facing uphill battles in the form of anti-police sentiment and staffing shortages. 

"That blows my mind that that is the precedent we're setting for not just the community, but for law enforcement," McCarthy said. "How do we tell the millions of cops tomorrow to go to work, kiss your loved ones goodbye, wear a bulletproof vest, and this is the back they have for you?"

"I was called to that house to help. She wanted my help," she continued. "That gives me the exact cause of law enforcement to help someone, and the fact that these people believe that I did something wrong to the point where I almost lost my life is heartbreaking."

Gallagher asked her if she would recommend a career in law enforcement to her children. She said it was "tough" to say, but ultimately couldn't support it. 

"That's tough because there is still a huge population that respect law enforcement and love law enforcement," McCarthy said. "My husband works for the sheriff's department. My sister works for the sheriff's department." 

"I love the idea of law enforcement, but nowadays, I just can't support it because that was the justice system that denied me my closure and my justice, so how do you go and tell people to work for that?" she continued. 

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Fox News' Michael Ruiz contributed to this report. 

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