KERN COUNTY, California - The half-brother of Robert Fuller, a 24-year-old black man who'd been found dead hanging in a California city last week, was killed in a deputy-involved shooting on Wednesday.

According to ABC 7 News, the fatal shooting that killed Terron Jammal Boone occurred in California's Kern County.

Detectives say they were looking for Boone, as he was believed to be involved in kidnapping, spousal assault and assault with a deadly weapon.

They spotted a man in a Jeep who matched Boone's description and followed him for some time.

After attempting a traffic stop, they discovered that a woman and a 7-year-old child were also in the vehicle. Deputies reported that Boone opened the door and began firing at them, and so they returned fire.

Boone was killed during the exchange of gunfire.

Investigators say the woman who was in the driver's seat is not the victim in the assault case; during the incident, she was shot in the chest and is expected to survive her injuries. The 7-year-old girl was uninjured.

The incident happened around 4:39 p.m. Wednesday in the 3400 block of 15th Street West in Rosamond and shortly afterwards, Attorney Jamon Hicks issued the following statement on behalf of Fuller's family:

"This afternoon I had to notify the sisters of Robert Fuller that their half-brother Terron Jammal Boone was killed by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies in Kern County."

"At this time, until we receive all of the information, the family and their legal team doesn't have any further comment on this incident. The family respectfully asks that their privacy be respected."

The death of Boone's half-brother, Fuller, was originally described as an "alleged suicide," which was also the ruling prescribed to the hanging death of Malcom Harsch 10 days earlier and about 50 miles away in San Bernardino County.

Fire department personnel responded to the scene of Fuller's death early on June 10, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a statement.

Despite Fuller's death being consistent with suicide, officials "felt it prudent to roll that back and continue to look deeper," said Los Angeles County Medical Examiner Coroner Dr. Jonathan Lucas.

Nothing but the rope, the contents of Fuller's pockets and a backpack he was wearing were found on the scene, according to Los Angeles County Homicide Capt. Kent Wegener.

Investigators are researching Fuller's medical history, looking for the witness who reported the hanging and searching for contacts in Arizona and Nevada. They will also analyze Fuller's cell phone and are looking for neighborhood surveillance video.

An autopsy was completed last Friday, but Fuller's family announced Tuesday that they are seeking an independent investigation and autopsy to determine the cause of his death.

In the second incident, dispatchers in Victorville, received a call on the morning of May 31 from a woman saying her boyfriend, Harsch, hanged himself, according to a news release from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. The release said Harsch was found at a homeless encampment.

Investigators did not find any evidence of foul play. An autopsy was conducted on June 12 and there are still no signs of foul play, the release said. The forensic pathologist is waiting for toxicology results before assigning the cause and manner of death.