Man shot by Morro Bay police declared mentally incompetent

A homeless man shot by a Morro Bay police officer after an alleged assault was declared incompetent to stand trial Monday.

Alec Bryan Stephenson, 20, has been charged with three felonies, including assault on a peace officer, battery with injury on a peace officer and second degree commercial burglary. According to police, a resident reported to police on Oct. 30 that someone was trying to break into a secondhand store in Morro Bay. When the suspect fled the scene on a bike, the caller followed him to the Embarcadero.

Two officers confronted Stephenson near Morro Rock, and Stephenson allegedly hit one of them on the head with a 4-foot stick. The officer fired one shot with his gun, according to police, hitting Stephenson in the leg.

In court, a doubt was declared as to Stephenson’s mental competence, and two psychiatric experts were hired to examine him. After the reports were presented to the court Monday, San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Jacquelyn Duffy declared him incompetent to stand trial. As a result, criminal proceedings against him have been suspended while he receives mental health treatment.

Reports on his progress will be presented to the court Dec. 14.

This story was originally published December 1, 2015 at 4:41 AM with the headline "Man shot by Morro Bay police declared mentally incompetent."