Police Department Los Angeles gathering evidence and video during the administrative investigation of the incident, when the officer, who was off duty, shot a man in the self-service warehouse Costco, who allegedly attacked him.
Two other people were seriously injured during the shooting at Costco in Corona is 64 km from Los Angeles. On Sunday police did not comment on the incident, without explaining what provoked the attack and whether someone other than the officer is armed.
Witnesses described that saw 2 people fighting near the frozen food section, when sounded, at least 6 shots. The officer opened fire after Kenneth French (32 years) from riverside «insulted» him «without provocation» when the officer was holding his young son, said police officials on Saturday. As told in police, the bullets hit the jacket, and 2 members of his family. The officer was the only person who used the weapon.
Rick Sura, French’s cousin, told the Press-Enterprise that he was a «gentle giant», who was not quite healthy mentally. What troubled the French, his cousin said. However, he explained that his cousin was «not aggressive, not angry and could not talk,» noting that «it had to be carefully controlled.» «He’s not talking, because I don’t believe that happened verbal confrontation,» added Rick.
Shura explained that 2 other victims – parents of French, Russell and Paula French, and said that they remain in the intensive care unit. Rick noted that the family of the victim looking for a lawyer.
Police in Los Angeles will continue to conduct an internal investigation, while the police and the Crown attorney’s office County of riverside conducted a separate investigation of the shooting.
Steve Soboroff, President of the Los Angeles Board of police commissioners, said that the decision whether to suspend the officer from duty lies with the chief of police Michel Moore, but it is not known whether he did so. The officer’s name was also not disclosed. It is known only that he was treated and released from a nearby hospital, and his child was injured.
According to the rules, all police officers, not in the performance of official duties, may carry weapons if they have the right to use it at work.
Joseph Giacalone, Professor College of criminal justice John Jay and a former Sergeant in new York, said that the use of weapons is justified even in a crowded store, if the attacker has a weapon. However, the police have not reported whether the weapons of the French and said a police officer who he was, before the shoot.
Giacalone stressed that an important role to play in the investigation video surveillance cameras.
