A man who struck a Carlsbad police officer in the head with a skateboard was sentenced this week to 10 years in state prison.
Previous coverage:
Kyle McCord, 33, attacked Officer Michael McKinney from behind on the night of March 29, 2024, at a shopping center near Carlsbad Village Drive. McKinney initially pulled into the shopping center's parking lot after a rock struck his patrol vehicle.
While McKinney and another officer inspected the damage to his vehicle, McCord approached from behind, struck the lawman with the skateboard, then ran.
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Believing he'd been shot, McKinney fired three rounds at McCord, none of which struck him. McKinney was treated for a skull fracture, brain bleed, and concussion. He is still recovering from his injuries and still hasn't been able to resume his job at Carlsbad PD.
Other officers managed to surround McCord a few blocks away.
A spokesperson for the Carlsbad Police told NBC 7 earlier this week that McKinney “has made tremendous progress in his recovery, and the entire department is looking forward to his return while continuing to support him through this process.”
Body-worn camera footage released by the Carlsbad Police Department showed that while McCord ran, a rock fell out of his pocket. Another officer arrested McCord about three blocks away from the shopping center, Carlsbad police said.
McCord, who refused to attend his sentencing on Monday, was initially charged with attempted murder in the case but pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon, plus allegations of causing great bodily injury. He was sentenced on Thursday to 10 years behind bars for the attack, plus a consecutive eight months on an unrelated case.
NBC 7's Allison Ash contributed to this report — Ed.
