U.S. Releases Man Held in Shooting

A 41-year-old Poway man who reportedly shot a U.S. Customs agent in the leg and was seriously wounded by drug agents when they tried to serve a search warrant at his house Wednesday has been released from custody, Sheriff’s Lt. John Tenwolde said.

Donald Lee Carlson remains at Palomar Medical Center in serious but stable condition, recovering from gunshot wounds in the arm, leg and chest, a spokeswoman there said. He had been booked on two counts of attempted murder Wednesday.

The federal search warrant was served by a multi-agency narcotics team--Operation Alliance--made up of U.S. Customs and Drug Enforcement Administration agents along with county Narcotics Task Force agents.

When they stormed the doors of his Poway home, in the 14200 block of Silver Ridge Road, early Wednesday, Carlson opened fire on agents, who fired back, officials said.

U.S. Customs officials have declined to comment on the nature of the search warrant or the narcotics investigation involving Carlson.

On Thursday, the San Diego County district attorney’s office deferred all prosecution matters regarding Carlson to the U.S. attorney’s office, Tenwolde said.

“The U.S. attorney decided not to file formal charges against Mr. Carlson at this time. He was released from custody,” Tenwolde said.

Tenwolde said the sheriff’s homicide investigation into the shooting of the Customs agent will be presented to the U.S. attorney’s office for review.