FATAL GUNFIGHT STUNS RESIDENTS.

Byline: Heather MacDonald Staff Writer

CANYON COUNTRY - Claire and Thomas Desjardins pointed at their bullet-scarred front porch and garage Sunday and shook their heads in unison.

``It's shocking,'' said Claire Desjardins. ``I just never thought that I would ever be awakened by bullets hitting my house.''

The Desjardins and other homeowners along Snapdragon Place spent Sunday cleaning up the aftermath of Saturday morning's bloody confrontation between Mark Gault, 37, and Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies. Gault was found dead a short time later.

Authorities said Gault opened fire on deputies with an assault rifle a little after 1 a.m. Saturday, spraying nearby homes with dozens of bullets.

Police had been called to the area on an unrelated vandalism call, said Deputy Harry Drucker.

An autopsy is scheduled today that will determine whether Gault was killed by the three deputies who returned fire, or by his own hand.

He was found dead after he barricaded himself in his home in the 29300 block of Snapdragon Place during the confrontation. On Saturday, the deputies involved reported hitting Gault in the torso.

``It's just a blessing that none of the neighbors or officers were harmed, because the gunshots were coming fast and furious,'' Thomas Desjardins said.

He and his wife originally thought the commotion was an earthquake, or a car accident. ``The cops did their job,'' he said.

The three deputies involved have been temporarily assigned to desk duty, as departmental policies dictate.

There have been no other officer-involved shootings in Santa Clarita this year, records show.

Gault grew up on Snapdragon Place, a quiet cul-de-sac at the foot of Soledad Canyon. Dozens of cars drove by Gault's house Sunday, pointing at the bullet holes in the garage door and the blood smeared on the front door. Neighbors said Gault lived there with his adoptive mother and father.

The Desjardins said he was a good kid who had attended high school with their daughter, Renee.

``I just think he flipped, he lost it,'' Thomas Desjardins said. ``There is no other explanation for it.''

Neighbors said that Gault had been despondent in recent weeks over his mother's terminal illness.

A dozen handguns and assault weapons were found in the Gaults' beige home.

Tom and Deborah Drum live next to the Gaults and were evacuated from their home during the confrontation. They sat in a nearby alley for six hours, they said.

``I was so scared,'' Deborah Drum said. ``It's very frightening, especially afterward when you think of all the other things that could have happened. It was an ugly night.''

The Drums said they were relieved that their two granddaughters were not spending the night with them, as they usually do on Fridays.

Deborah Drum said she often had to call police about Gault, who had a habit of drinking beer in front of his house late at night and setting off firecrackers.

``He was a decent kid, polite,'' said Tom Drum. ``But when he drank, he got all wound up.''

About a year ago, Gault was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, reports show.

Gault's father asked Tom Drum to write a letter to the judge, testifying to his son's good character, and Tom Drum agreed.

``He seemed like a nice person,'' Tom Drum said. ``He always greeted me and was pleasant. That's why I wrote the letter.''

Deborah Drum said she would not soon recover from the events of Saturday morning.

``I woke up with blood on my grass, and guns in my yard,'' she said. ``It's so sad, and so frightening.''