(CA) Orange police shoot and kill man wielding fake gun

[Drizzt]

The Associated Press State & Local Wire

March 22, 2003, Saturday, BC cycle

SECTION: State and Regional

LENGTH: 158 words

HEADLINE: Orange police shoot and kill man wielding fake gun

DATELINE: ORANGE, Calif.

BODY:
Police opened fire and killed a man after he allegedly ignored commands to drop a pistol, which authorities later learned was a plastic replica.

Officers shouted at the man to show his hands and opened fire when they saw he was holding what appeared to be a gun, said Sgt. David Hill of the Orange Police Department. The shooting occurred about 9:15 p.m. Friday outside the H&S Food & Gas, officials said.

The incident started when police received a call that the man pointed "a gun" at three children at a nearby restaurant, Hill said. The man was found in the gas station parking lot holding what appeared to be a weapon, he said.

Officers tried to revive the man after the shooting and about that time discovered the weapon was a black, plastic replica of a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun.

Police and the Orange County District Attorney's Officer were investigating the shooting.

The man's identity has not been released.

 

[Greg L]

Suicide by cop? Sounds like it.

Too bad he didn't have the guts to do it himself instead of giving the officers memories that they don't want for the rest of their lives.

Greg

 

[El Tejon]

Blue suicide or cowboy spaced out on drugs.

 

[Silver Bullet]

Orange police ...

Too many carrots, I'll bet.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Never show up for a gun fight with a toy gun. It's just not the same.

 

[BerettaNut92]

Police opened fire and killed a man after he allegedly ignored commands to drop a pistol, which authorities later learned was a plastic replica.

Um, how about:
Police allegedly opened fire and killed a man after he ignored commands to drop a pistol, which authorities later learned was a plastic replica.

 

[Yohan]

Good riddance. I hope the cops will do ok.