Crime & Safety
Torrance Says It's Not Liable for Dorner Manhunt Shooting
Redondo Beach resident David Purdue has filed an excessive force complaint against Torrance for shooting at him during the manhunt for Christopher Dorner.
In court papers filed Friday, the city of Torrance denied any liability connected with the mistaken identity shooting of Redondo Beach resident David Perdue during the hunt for accused killer Christopher Dorner, the Daily Breeze reported Monday.
Perdue, 48, filed the excessive force complaint in mid-June in connection with the Feb. 7 incident where a Torrance police cruiser rammed his pickup truck and officers fired upon him. He is seeking $4 million in compensation for his physical injuries and lingering emotional issues.
Perdue's attorney, Robert Sheahen, called the city's response "an absolute fantasy," according to the Daily Breeze.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has an ongoing criminal investigation into the shooting.
In another case of mistaken identity during the Dorner search, two women were injured when Los Angeles police opened fire on their pickup truck in Torrance while they were delivering newspapers. They reached a $4.2 million settlement with the city.
Authorities said Dorner killed four people—a Riverside police officer, a San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy and the daughter of a former LAPD captain and her fiance—during a rampage fueled by his anger over being fired from the Los Angeles force several years ago.
The disgruntled ex-cop's remains were found inside a burned-out Big Bear cabin after a shootout with law enforcement on Feb. 12, culminating a nearly week-long manhunt for the fugitive.
—City News Service contributed to this report.
- Full story: Torrance Denies Liability in Christopher Dorner-Related Confrontation With Redondo Beach Surfer [Daily Breeze]
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
