[b]A multi-agency manhunt is under way in California after police say the former Los Angeles police officer suspected in the murders of a college basketball coach and her fianc� last weekend is following through on his vow to kill police officers after he opened fire Wednesday night on three police officers, killing one, KTTV.com reported.
"In this case, we're his target," Sgt. Rudy Lopez from the Corona Police Department said at a press conference.
The suspect has been identified as Christopher Jordan Dorner, 33, and he is considered extremely dangerous, authorities say. The killings appear to be retribution for his 2009 termination from the Los Angeles Police Department for making false statements, authorities say.
The first shooting Wednesday night occurred in the city of Corona and involved two LAPD officers working a security detail, said Sgt. Alex Baez of the LAPD's Newton division. One officer was grazed.
The LAPD's elite Metropolitan squad was sent to protect others mentioned in Dorner's manifesto.
Later, two officers on routine patrol in the neighboring city of Riverside were ambushed in their patrol car at a stop light, said Riverside Lt. Guy Toussaint. One died and the other was in surgery.
The Riverside officers shot overnight were not actively looking for Dorner, authorities said.
Police don't know where Dorner is, but think he left the area, Toussaint said.
"We're asking our officers to be extraordinarily cautious just as we're asking the public to be extraordinarily cautious with this guy. He's already demonstrated he has a propensity for shooting innocent people. We can't provide a lot of information now because we're trying to capture him," said Cmdr. Andrew Smith. "We don't know where he is. We're looking for the public's help to locate this guy. Anybody who sees him or believes they see him or his vehicle should call 911."
Local police are taking an abundance of caution. Corona police have suspended its motorcycle patrol and all officers are teamed up with partners.
Police say at the time of his firing Dorner was represented by the father of one of his victims and posted a multi-page manifesto on his Facebook page about his termination.
"I never had the opportunity to have a family of my own, (so) I am terminating yours," Dorner's manifesto reportedly stated. Randy Quan's name was mentioned in the note. He represented Dorner at the hearing that led to Dorner�s firing. Quan's daughter, Monica Quan and her fianc� were shot dead in an Irvine parking garage Sunday night.
In the manifesto, Dorner wrote that Quan "suppressed the truth," which would lead to deadly consequences, The Orange County Register reported.
"Self preservation is no longer important to me. I do not fear death as a I died long ago on 1/2/09," Dorner wrote, according to the report. The paper said he was referencing the day he was fired from the LAPD. "I was told by my mother that sometimes bad things happen to good people."
Police said the U.S. Navy reservist may be driving a blue 2005 Nissan Titan pickup truck. His last known address was in La Palma in northern Orange County near Fullerton.
Dorner was with the department from 2005 until 2008, when he was fired for making false statements.
Autopsies showed that Quan and Lawrence were killed by multiple gunshot wounds in the parking structure at their condominium in Irvine, Orange County sheriff's spokesman Jim Amormino said earlier Wednesday.
Quan, 28, was an assistant women's basketball coach at Cal State Fullerton. Lawrence, 27, was a public safety officer at the University of Southern California.
Quan's father, a former LAPD captain who became a lawyer in retirement, represented Dorner in front of the Board of Rights, a tribunal that ruled against Dorner at the time of his dismissal, LAPD Capt. William Hayes told The Associated Press Wednesday night.
Randal Quan retired in 2002. He later served as chief of police at Cal Poly Pomona before he started practicing law.
According to documents from a court of appeals hearing in October 2011, Dorner was fired from the LAPD after he made a complaint against his field training officer, Sgt. Teresa Evans. Dorner said that in the course of an arrest, Evans kicked suspect Christopher Gettler, a schizophrenic with severe dementia.
Following an investigation, Dorner was fired for making false statements.
Richard Gettler, the schizophrenic man's father, gave testimony that supported Dorner's claim. After his son was returned on July 28, 2007, Richard Gettler asked "if he had been in a fight because his face was puffy" and his son responded that he was kicked twice in the chest by a police officer.
Not excusing what he did, but now I wonder if he was thrown under the bus to protect the other officer and a potential lawsuit against LAPD from the "kicking" incident?
Not excusing what he did, but now I wonder if he was thrown under the bus to protect the other officer and a potential lawsuit against LAPD from the "kicking" incident?
Sure does sound like it.... and I dought there will be any re opening of the investigation (if there ever was one....) Afterall, the police have to look out for each other and have to trust one another... They cannot have one be willing to tell the truth about some other cop who did wrong.
The worst thing ever to happen to cops is the personal video recorder... Now people can see the truth
I don't know how to put this gently...but expect the cops to rally around each other, which will impact their ability to protect an already under-served public. I would probably do the same if I were a LEO. Another reason for the public to be armed, no?
Mercy ceases to be a virtue when it enables further injustice. -Brent Weeks
This guy should have never been hired by LE and this is exactly what happens when you lower the hiring standards...This guy is a real psycho....living in a delusional world....
My Family, My Friends, My Great Outdoors, My therapy for life.
Actually, standards have risen in recent years, as I understand it. Used to be you could be hired on LAPD without a polygraph. It's not that way now. They're not scrambling to hire unqualified people. Sounds like this one slipped through the initial cracks, but was found out during his probation period.
Not sure of the entire story, but my bud says Quan is "one of the good ones". As my bud is also "one of the good ones", I'd take his word on it over some jackass running around murdering people because he lost a job he had less than a year, and while he was still in training and probation.
You can't weed all of them out, but, as is obvious by this nutcases actions, they weeded HIM out, and now he's out for revenge and murdering innocent people.
Who would you believe? The guy is obviously quite a few fries short of a happy meal.
Guns are responsible for killing as much as Rosie O'Donnel's fork is responsible for her being FAT.
DaveR...your buddy is right Quan is a good guy.....as for hiring standards that is what they would like every one to believe...they have changed some things but it seems they are short cutting the process to fulfill their hiring needs. Unfortunately you are right they will never be able to filter out all of the bad ones.
My Family, My Friends, My Great Outdoors, My therapy for life.
According to documents from a court of appeals hearing in October 2011, Dorner was fired from the LAPD after he made a complaint against his field training officer, Sgt. Teresa Evans. Dorner said that in the course of an arrest, Evans kicked suspect Christopher Gettler, a schizophrenic with severe dementia.
Following an investigation, Dorner was fired for making false statements.
Richard Gettler, the schizophrenic man's father, gave testimony that supported Dorner's claim. After his son was returned on July 28, 2007, Richard Gettler asked "if he had been in a fight because his face was puffy" and his son responded that he was kicked twice in the chest by a police officer.
Sounds like he was fired to protect his superior's job, i.e., he was railroaded. Typical police corruption sort of thing.
