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Silver coming to the officers rescue commending a job well done in 3... 2...
Man killed by Long Beach police was holding a water nozzle, not a gun, police say
latimes.com
Douglas Zerby, 35, was shot and killed by officers responding to a 911 call of an intoxicated man holding a 'six-shooter' Sunday in the Belmont Shore neighborhood.
By Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times
December 14, 2010
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The 35-year-old Long Beach man killed in an officer-involved shooting Sunday was holding a pistol-grip water nozzle, not a gun, Long Beach police officials said Monday.
Two officers responded to a 911 call at 4:40 p.m. Sunday from a neighbor reporting an intoxicated man holding a "six-shooter" in the 5300 block of East Ocean Boulevard in the upscale Belmont Shore neighborhood.
"The officers had a position of cover and were observing the suspect while other officers were en route," said Sgt. Dina Zapalski, a spokeswoman for the Long Beach Police Department.
Zapalski said Douglas Zerby had been sitting on a stoop playing with what appeared to be a weapon and pointing it at objects as if it were a gun. He extended his arms and pointed in the direction of an officer. Police said they did not have time to make their presence known or to tell Zerby to drop the weapon before opening fire because they believed he was a threat.
"They wanted to shoot him before he shot them," Zapalski said. "There was no time to react. If you're standing there and someone points a gun at you, you're going to react....There was only two of them there. This happened first, and that's why they shot."
Zerby was shot in the torso with a shotgun and handgun, then handcuffed, Zapalski said. He died at the scene.
Zerby, a hardwood floor installer who ran Seaside Flooring in Long Beach, is survived by an 8-year-old son.
Authorities said this was the first fatal officer-involved shooting this year. There have been nine non-fatal shootings in 2010.
Zerby's older sister, Eden Marie Biele, said she was mortified by her brother's death. The two were very close and had spoken a few days before he died, she said.
"Our brother was killed for no reason," she said. "We're outraged. You can't get drunk in the city of Long Beach and not get shot? You're trying to do the responsible thing and not drive and you get shot? Is that standard protocol? They didn't wait for backup, they just shot him."
Zapalski said the officers involved were not rookies but could not immediately say how many years they had served with the department.
Staci Liken, 45, said she saw a police car and a Long Beach Marine Patrol SUV make a U-turn before two officers got out and made their way to the back building where Zerby was sitting. She said within 30 seconds she heard two types of gunshots. She counted at least 15 shots fired.
"This is supposed to be the safest neighborhood around. I don't know what's going on with the police," she said. "This is out of control to shoot and kill when they don't need to."
Zerby had been sitting on the stoop of a friend's house waiting for the friend to return. He often frequented the apartment after he had been drinking and was known to neighbors, his sister said. It was a new tenant who was unfamiliar with Zerby who made the 911 call, she said.
Scores of family and friends gathered at the scene Monday night to light candles and leave flowers and a small Christmas tree.
Her brother was "the happy-go-lucky life of the party," Biele said. "He never ended a phone call without professing his love to you," she said.
Zerby was the second of five children, with blond hair and the build of a surfer. "He was a dear friend, he was an awesome person," said a tearful Douglas Blair, 42, who lived in the studio apartment where Zerby was waiting.
Blair said it was Zerby's third time stopping by his apartment because he was too drunk to go home.
Quarter-sized bullet holes and dozens of smaller ones pierced Blair's staircase and handrails. Two pools of blood remained under the steps to his apartment.
"It's a wonderful place to live, and it's a terrible thing to have happen," Blair said.
Mark Zerby, Douglas Zerby's father, said he last spoke to his son about an hour before he was killed. He noticed that his son, who had a drinking problem for which he had sought help, was slightly drunk.
"He said he wanted to come over and I told him that I was busy," the father said. "And the rest of it is the biggest nightmare you can imagine."
Friends hugged Zerby's family and offered up memories to ease their pain.
"He took us swimming, he bought us cupcakes in 85-degree weather," said Julie McKernie Hampton, 40, who was Zerby's friend and neighbor. "I just can't imagine Doug having a gun."
Biele was outraged by the officers' actions and the inconsistencies in the account. She said police first told her that her brother had been fiddling with the nozzle in his lap, then police Chief Jim McDonnell said Zerby was actually pointing it at the officers.
She bluntly spoke out at a news conference held by McDonnell on Monday and was eventually escorted out.
"We want justice to be served," she said. "It's about bringing attention to a senseless death." She said her family has already contacted attorneys.
The Long Beach Police Department and the Los Angeles County district attorney's office will conduct independent investigations into the shooting.
[email protected]
Copyright © 2010, Los Angeles Times
Silver coming to the officers rescue commending a job well done in 3... 2...
Oh, another officer related shooting in my hometown of Long Beach, CA. I mean, it is important that any officer of the peace protect themselves, but what happened to non-lethal alternatives? Although holding and fumbling around with a watergun that looks like an actual pistol is asking for misinterpretation...
so it was "more than 15 shots", and "dozens of bullet holes"... seems like trigger-happy cops to me. Can't put a seated guy down with one or two shots?
It wasn't a water gun, it was a hose-end nozel with the pistol grip. I've never seen one of those that looked remotely like a gun.
Sounds like he gave the cops no choice, are you guys seriously blaming the cops after the info in that article?
Cops had to protect themselves. One less re sitting on his lawn.
I bet the cop feels like and will quit his job.
if he was in public, ok, i understand but still think the cops are wrong.
BUT HE WAS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
WHOS ING business is it that he cant sit on private property and fumble with a water nozzle? who the was he bothering? was he yelling at passerbys "get away or ill shoot you" ???
what the . sitting on privately owned property, being mistaken by a re neighbor for holding a "six shooter", so cops COME TO YOUR PROPERTY, and kill you while you are drunk?
the united states of america. it.
He will feel like ...for a long time...he may not quit his job but any time he is faced with a similar situation-he will probably be gun shy, himself up and get shot by someone else in the future.
Or
He could be an asshole and not give a - and he will still end up getting shot someday.
But it is a shame that someone had to die in this incident. Gotta feel bad for the family-and it is understandable that they want to blame someone- but unfortunately the guy holding the object and pointing it at police kinda sealed his own fate.
Drunk guy pointed the nozzle at the cops. Why would somebody do that when it is well known that if you point something, specially if it looks like a handgun then they will fire.
And I think but im not sure it's SOP to shoot to kill once the cops open fire.
Sad though 'cause he was a dad.
Own a permit to carry a weapon.
You're on privately owned property.
Why the are police even coming in the first place? explain that.
Twist facts much?
A concerned neighbor who did not know him called in to the police and reported that a man with a six-shooter was waving it around and pointing it.
What were the cops supposed to do?
Show up and lackadaisically stroll up to the suspect and ask him to inspect his toy?
They had to take it as a serious threat and it doesn't make a difference if it is public or private property in this case.
Police cannot just believe what anyone reports.
Just because some re thought it was a "six shooter", doesn't mean that is enough probable cause to come at the man with guns ready to kill him while he is drunk.
I agree on the first part-that the police can't just believe what anyone reports.
But they have to investigate--as if the report is accurate-unless they discover the call was a crank call, the caller was misinformed etc.
They DO have to respond with the idea that the suspect is armed and possibly dangerous. They don't know when responding to a call of a reported gunman-if this alleged gunman has already hurt someone.
Reality is not like in a hollywood movie where guys shoot at each other 40-50 times each and miss...and then someone shoots and hits someone 7 or 8 times and the victim stumbles and keeps firing back and doesn't die.
In real life...it is one shot and boom someone is gone. They fall fast. They will never see their loved ones again...just because someone pulled a trigger in a split second and you hesitated or were unsure and didn't take it seriously enough...now you are gone.
And how are police supposed to gauge how drunk or not you are, or if you are a mental hospital patient or a psychopath or a father of 3 kids with no criminal record? All in the space of a few seconds when you are not sure if a gun is pointed at you or if it is a toy?
Right on cue
I live in long beach
If any of you knew how much bacteria and chemicals in the water today you would consider a nozzle a deadly weapon also.
BUT 15 SHOTS??? What ever happened to "Put down your weapon or we'll shoot!"?? I don't know in what position the cops were in relation to the guy but you would think the cops would've gone for cover and ask him to put the weapon down! Why was a shotgun used? Man, I hope they fire those cops!!!
My mistake...I meant water gun as a term for the nozzle gun...
I thought that too.
From the above article:
Why didn't they first call out to him from their position of cover and tell the guy to drop his weapon and that more police were on their way?
Cops aim to please!
Question, can I sit on my porch with a knife and wave it around?
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