Christian Dorscht and Officer Kevin Ferguson involved in a struggle in Anaheim. The officer fired a shot after pulling a gun on Christian, 13, and other high schoolers during a dispute over them walking on his lawn, police say.
The Los Angeles Police Department has identified the off-duty officer who fired a shot during a struggle with a 13-year-old boy near his Anaheim home last week as Officer Kevin Ferguson.
No one was struck by the single shot fired by the 34-year-old LAPD officer.
Video showing incident involving Ferguson and the boy, Christian Dorscht, went viral and sparked protests in Ferguson’s neighborhood last week. Ferguson has not been charged and was placed on modified duty after firing his gun.
The incident began as part of an ongoing dispute between the officer and teens from a nearby high school. He has been angry that they are walking across his lawn, Anaheim Police said. In a statement they said there has been “ongoing issues with juveniles walking across the officer’s property.”
The incident remains under investigation.
“That (the gunshot) was the most frightening part of it all. What if that bullet would have been, you know, I don’t know, a couple of inches closer,” Alma Jimenez, Christian’s mother, told CBS 8. “I didn’t see him being aggressive. I saw him being as calm as he possibly could. I saw him trying to reason with the adult.”
Here’s what you need to know:
1. The Officer Claims the Boy Threatened to Shoot Him, but the Boy Says He Actually Threatened to Sue Him
Officer Kevin Ferguson claims the 13-year-old boy, Christian Dorscht, threatened to shoot him. The boy’s father, Johnny, told the Orange County Weekly. But Johnny Dorscht said his son threatened to sue the officer, not shoot him.
“What I’ve been told is that my son told the off-duty cop, ‘I’m going to sue you for hitting me. I’m a minor,'” Dorscht told the OC Weekly.
“During that confrontation, a 13-year-old male is alleged to have made a threat to the off-duty officer that he was going to shoot him,” Anaheim Police Sergeant Daron Wyatt told ABC 7 News.
In the video, the officer can be heard telling Christian, “you threatened to shoot me.” Christian tells the officer her didn’t say that.
“I said I’m going to sue you,” Christian tells the cop, as the officer drags him across the lawn.
(Johnny Dorscht)
His mother told ABC 7, “In reality he was saying, ‘I’m going to sue you. You keep hitting me. You’re hurting me. I’m going to sue you.'”
Christian was released from custody after being arrested at the scene. His mother, Alma Jimenez, took photos of his injuries.
Two cell phone videos of the incident were posted online Wednesday, bringing attention to the incident. You can watch the videos above and below. A single shot is fired about the 2:30 mark of the video above.
“The Anaheim Police Department is aware of the numerous videos posted on YouTube regarding yesterday’s Officer Involved Shooting involving an off-duty LAPD officer,” police said in a Facebook post. “The Anaheim Police Department Homicide Detail is investigating the incident and the case will be presented to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office when complete. Calling and sending emails to APD voicing your displeasure will NOT impact the outcome. A decision whether or not to file charges rests with the District Attorney’s office and is based on facts and evidence.”
According to police, “The confrontation began over ongoing issues with juveniles walking across the officer’s property.” The incident occurred Tuesday afternoon, police said in a statement:
APD officers were called to the area of Euclid St and Palais around 2:40 pm Tuesday afternoon regarding a physical altercation between a male adult and several male juveniles. While officers were responding, additional information was received the adult was an off-duty LAPD officer, he had discharged his firearm, and was detaining at least one of the juveniles. Upon arrival, officers contacted the off-duty officer who admitted to discharging his firearm during an altercation with at least two individuals. Nobody was struck by the gunfire.
Christian Dorscht’s father, Johnny Dorscht, told the Orange County Weekly his son was coming to the defense of a girl who had been verbally attacked by the off-duty cop. He told the OC Weekly his son said the officer called the girl a “c*nt” for stepping on his grass.
Several students can be seen in the videos. The neighborhood is located near Loara High School.
The nearly 9-minute Youtube video shows the off-duty officer grabbing onto Christian and pulling hm along the sidewalk as Christian struggles with him. Someone can be heard saying, “you’re the one who started it.”
Another man at the scene can be heard saying, “hey, Kevin,” in an apparent attempt to get the officer to let go of Christian.
Ferguson then grabs Christian by the shirt and pulls him onto the law, as Christian says, “let me go, for the last time.” Several students wearing backpacks can be seen on the lawn following the incident.
“He tried to hit me in my nuts. That’s like a little pussy move, punch a kid in the nuts,” Christian says. He then tells the officer his hand is red and his neck is scratched while asking him to let him go.
Ferguson tells Christian, “your hand is all red because you’ve been resisting me this whole time.”
Christian then says, “no I wasn’t. You attacked me first and I didn’t do nothing to hurt you. All I said was ‘respect the girl,’ because you said ‘get off my property you c*nt.'”
(Youtube screenshot)
As Christian continues to ask Ferguson to let him go, Christian pulls him toward bushes. Another teen comes over and tries to pull Christian away from the officer and a third charges at him and pushes Christian and the officer into the bushes.
Several teens then move toward Christian and Ferguson as they struggle in the bushes, and the officer lifts up his shirt and pulls a handgun from his waistband. Many of the teens scatter and after a few seconds a shot can be heard, sending the rest of the teens running.
As Ferguson continues to hold Christian, the teen says, “you shot me. You put a gun in my face. What the…”
After a few minutes a police cruiser arrives at the scene and puts Christian into handcuffs while Ferguson stands with his arms up.
2. He Has Been an Officer With the LAPD Since 2013
Officer Kevin Ferguson during the incident. (Facebook)
Ferguson has been an officer with the Los Angeles Police Department since 2013. He is currently at the rank of Officer II, the police department said.
It is not known if any complaints have been filed against him in the past. According to the Orange County Weekly, there are no records that he has been involved in a shooting, on or off-duty, in the past.
The Weekly said Ferguson, who has been in an ongoing dispute with the high school students, has been staying away from his home since the incident.
Anaheim Police Sergeant Daron Wyatt told the Los Angeles Times the videos show only a “very small portion” of the incident.
Wyatt said the video began “several houses down from where the intial contact was made,” CBS 8 reports.
A video of the conflict has generated a great deal of interest in the community. Wyatt said it “picks up several houses down from where the initial contact was made.”
“Yesterday, he sees the kids walking on the lawn and he says, `Hey, guys, please walk on the sidewalk,’ ” Wyatt said. He said the teens responded with a “chorus of epithets.”
3. He Has Returned to Work, but Is Not in the Field, Pending the Outcome of the Investigation, Police Say
(Youtube screenshot)
Ferguson has returned to work, but is not in the field, pending the outcome of the internal and Anaheim Police investigations into his conduct, the Los Angeles Times reports.
According to Anaheim Police, the LAPD will be conducting a “concurrent internal/administrative investigation,” while homicide detectives from its department also investigate. The results of the Anaheim Police investigation will be sent to the Orange County District Attorney’s office.
LAPD Captain Andy Neiman told the Los Angeles Times, “We will continue to conduct the internal investigation to determine the actions of the officer and the circumstances, and then we’ll consult with the Orange County district attorney as well to determine if there’s any issues.”
Neiman told the newspaper the officer would remain out of the field for 72 hours, while Chief Charlie BEck reviews the initial investigation and determines whether the officer can return to active duty.
“Upon the Chief’s review he will make a report that will be forwarded to the Board of Police Commissioners,” Assistant LAPD Chief Michael Moore said. It “will make a determination of whether or not the officer’s actions, his use of force, both the use of his firearm as well as the other force he engaged in, were in or out of policy.”
4. He & the Teens Arrested After the Incident Could Face Charges, Prosecutors Say
Christian Dorscht after he was released from juvenile detention. (Johnny Dorscht)
Anaheim Police Chief Raul Quezada said last week that criminal charges could still be filed against “any and all parties involved.”
“As a father and as a police chief, I, too, am disturbed with what I saw on the videos that were posted on the internet,” Quezada said at a press conference. “Having said that, as a police chief, I’m charged with enforcing the laws absent my personal feelings.”
Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait said at the press conference, ”
Christian was arrested at the scene on suspicion of battery and making criminal threats, Anaheim Police said. He was taken to a juvenile detention facility and released to his mother on Wednesday, his parents said.
The 15-year-old boy, who has not been named, was also released into the custody of his parents. He was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor assault and battery. He told CBS 8, “I just saw a guy just holding a little kid, so I just wanted to help the kid out. So I tried to help him, move them apart.”
The family Christian Dorscht has said they plan to sue the cities of Anaheim and Los Angeles.
5. Ferguson’s Home & Vehicles Were Vandalized During Protests Over the Video
An LAPD officer’s home in Anaheim was damaged when a protest turned violent. Most vulgar graffiti has been covered. @KFIAM640
Officer Kevin Ferguson’s home and vehicles were vandalized during protests over the incident. “FTP,” which stands for “f*ck the police” was scratched into his truck and “f*ck pigs” was spray painted on his garage door. Windows at his home were also broken.
About 200 to 300 protesters took to the streets of Anaheim near the officer’s neighborhood last Wednesday night to protest over the incident.
Christian’s mother was among those there, according to reporters.
“I just want to say how disgusted I am by that individual for the negligence he committed with my son,” Christian’s mother told protesters, a video posted to Facebook shows.
“My son is alive today, but if he would have not fought for his life along with those other children, he would be in a morgue right now.,” Alma Jimenez, said. “You almost killed my child. Stop shooting our kids. This is my son. He is 13 years old. He was not armed. He was, he pulled out, he reached for his weapon, he intended to use it.”
Anaheim Police said 24 people were arrested at the protest on misdemeanor charges, including failure to disperse.
