.BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- A man died after four Bakersfield police officers shot him to death, KERO reported. Gabriel Garcia was shot and killed while standing at the doorstep of a registered sex offender who lived just down the street from him. Police said neighbors reported Garcia acting strangely prior to the shooting. They said that after talking with several children in the neighborhood, he ended up on the doorstep of registered sex offender Vincent Verdile.
Garcia reportedly pulled a knife on Verdile, who ran into his home and called 9-1-1. Police detective Mary Degeare said when officers responded, Garcia was repeatedly ordered to drop the knife and surrender, but he instead continued to kick in Verdile's door. "At this point, officers had to stop him from going inside and hurting somebody," Degeare said.
Officers Stephen Kauffman, Ryan Newman, Sherman Rooks and Eric Shimon will remain on routine paid administrative leave until the shooting review board completes its investigation. ..more.. : by The Bakersfield Channel
Readers Comments:
You know, it's easy to blame police for the death of Gabriel Garcia. They shot him. And it would appear their pamphlets warning neighbors about a serious sex offender played a role in Garcia's death. He died in a hail of police gunfire as he kicked in the door of this house. Vincent Verdile lives here. He's the man on police warning pamphlets passed around the neighborhood -- a man with a history of sex crimes against children and teens. Crimes that reportedly enraged Gabriel Garcia so much he went to Verdile's house with a knife. A lot of people want to blame police for igniting this tragedy. C'mon. The police didn't cause this. They had a duty to protect kids in this neighborhood with these pamphlets. And no matter what we may think of Vincent Verdile, they had a duty to protect him too. So let's stop blaming police, and let's remember Gabriel Garcia died a vigilante -- not a martyr.
Craig Jahelka Vice President/General Manager
XXXX 07-01-2004, 12:15 PM: The man did a crime, he did the time. The people who made the flyers, then man that kicked in his door are all guilty of committing a HATE CRIME!
XXXX 04-04-2004, 6:37 AM: The police had unsubstantiated information regarding the victim of this crime not the perpetrator (Who has a history of violence against police and civilians. Why wasn?t that neighborhood flyered warning of this violent threat?), but still chose to flyer his neighborhood with slanderous remarks amplifying fears for something that happen nearly 2 decades ago and did not involve sex as stated. Ignorance and fear make people say things that create uncivilized actions as happened with Gabriel Garcia costing him his life and childish remarks by XXXX who knows nothing more than feelings based on ignorance. Grow up I say. This man did nothing wrong and was attacked for something that happened a very long time ago. He did not invite this kind of attention, nor deserve it. His neighbors had good things to say about him, and the news stations didn?t air it, only the negative stuff. Until you know the real story; I suggest acting like mature responsible adults. Not Drama Queens and War mongers.
XXXX 02-25-2004, 8:32 PM: In Reply to Mr XXXX's feelings, I do feel that the police have the right to protect the public, and themselves,however do you Mr XXXX feel that 14 shots from reportably 4 officers, was warranted?. We consider ourselves civilized,maybe we should not be so civilized. We need to punish convicted criminals much more than we do now, and I agree that this young man was no Martyr, if he was there to harm the child molester,tell me why the officers could not disignate one of them to fire a shot at a leg, to give this person the right to get some help,because I think he had more of a right to live than the animal inside.
Cops Kill Man Breaking into Sex Offender’s Home
2-26-2004 California:
."Police shot and killed a knife-wielding man attempting to break into the home of a registered sex offender who police warned neighbors might still be abusing children. Authorities on Monday defended their decision to circulate a flier in a Bakersfield neighborhood identifying Vincent Verdile as a registered sex offender even though the information was 'completely unsubstantiated...'
On Saturday, police shot and killed Gabriel Angel Garcia, who was attempting to kick in Verdile's front door. Police had not yet established a motive for why Garcia, a 20-year-old neighbor of Verdile, was trying to break into the man's home. But several weeks ago, Bakersfield police circulated a flier around Verdile's neighborhood with a picture of Verdile on it and listing his height, weight, hair color and race under a banner that read, 'Serious Sex Offender...'" ..more.. : by Mercury News
Officers justified in shooting according to review board
2-27-2004 California:
.BAKERSFIELD - A shooting review board said four Bakersfield police officers acted within department, state and federal guidelines when they shot and killed a 20-year old man. A panel of five police administrators cleared officers Stephen Kaufman, Ryan Newman, Sherman Rooks and Eric Shimon of any wrong-doing in last weekend's deadly shooting. The decision was based in part on a frantic 911 call and police dispatch tape obtained by KGET 17.
“Uh, I have a person on my front yard with a knife, that's going to cut me,” said Vincent Verdile to a 911 dispatcher, “He's at my door right now. I have a feeling he's going to try and kick it in.” With that phone call, police rushed to a southwest Bakersfield home. When officers arrived they said 20-year old Gabriel Garcia had a small folding knife in his hand and was banging violently on the door. “The police are there and he's trying to come in,” said Verdile, “This guy's a psycho.”
The man who called 911, Vincent Verdile, was convinced he was the target of a hate crime. “Why do you think it was a hate crime?” said the dispatcher. “Because, uh, the police, uh, I'm a sex offender,” said Verdile, “It happened a long time ago but the police fliered my neighborhood and this person is obviously here to try to scare me off and stab me.” Detectives said Garcia ignored orders to drop his weapon and when the front door began to crack open they fired.
“Sounds like gunfire,” said Verdile. “Yeah,” said the dispatcher, “It is.” Officers fired 14 rounds killing the intruder. The police department said officers tried to avoid the use of deadly force, claiming the sequence of events on the dispatch tapes prove it. “Subject armed with a knife in the yard,” said a dispatcher to officers, “At 4709 Arbor Glen,” “Can you see if we have an officer with a taser to start that way?” responded an officer.
A unit with a taser gun was called along with a K-9 and a sergeant with a pepper-ball gun. “They're just trying to hold him at bay,” said Det. Mary DeGeare, “And utilize other uses of force.” Investigators said Garcia was un-phased by four taser darts that hit him. The K-9 and pepper-ball gun were still in route when Garcia got the door open. “He still has the knife,” said Det. DeGeare, “He turns around and he's walking inside the house. He has already crossed the threshold of the door. The officer's have to make a split second decision.”
Vincent Verdile was alone in the home as Garcia tried to force his way in, but officers assumed there was more than one potential victim inside. ..more.. : by KGET TV
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