Homicide Report > Douglas Zerby, 35 [Updated]
Douglas Zerby, 35 [Updated]
Died Dec. 12, 2010 at 5:15 p.m.
Douglas Zerby, a 35-year-old white man, was shot and killed by police Sunday, Dec. 12, in the 5300 block of East Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.
Two Long Beach police officers responded to a 911 call at 4:40 p.m. from a neighbor reporting an intoxicated man holding a "six shooter" that looked like an antique gun.
"The officers had a position of cover and were observing the suspect while other officers were en route," said Sgt. Dina Zapalski, a spokeswoman for the Long Beach Police Department.
Zapalski said Zerby was in a seated position when he extended his arms while holding the gun-like object and pointed it at an officer.
Investigators later determined that Zerby was actually holding a black pistol-grip water nozzle with a metal tip, she said.
He was shot in the torso with a shotgun and handgun, then handcuffed, Zapalski said. He died at the scene.
Zerby's older sister, Eden Marie Biele, said she was upset upon hearing of her brother's death.
"Our brother was killed for no reason," she said. "We're outraged. You can't get drunk in the city of Long Beach and not get shot? You're trying to do the responsible thing and not drive and you get shot? Is that standard protocol? They didn't wait for backup, they just shot him."
Zerby had been waiting on the stoop for his friend to come home. He often frequented the building after he had been drinking and was known among the neighbors, his sister said. It was a new neighbor who was not familiar with her brother who made the 911 call, she said.
[Update Sept. 28, 2011: Prosecutions demanded in deadly Long Beach police shootings]
[Update Nov. 3, 2011: Long Beach officers cleared in 'water nozzle' fatal shooting case]
[Update Nov. 4, 2011: Federal probe sought in fatal shooting of man holding nozzle]
— Nardine Saad
Photo: The water nozzle Douglas Zerby was carrying when he was fatally shot by Long Beach police officers. Credit: Long Beach Police Department
- Neighborhood: Long Beach
- Age: 35
- Gender: Male
- Cause: Gunshot
- Day of the week: Sunday
- Agency: Long Beach PD
- Race/Ethnicity: White
- Circumstance: Officer-involved
- Crime scene: Residence
32 reader comments about Douglas Zerby
Another victim murdered by incompetent cops. The day cops are held accountable for their actions, that's the day these type of incidents are going to stop. A man's life was taken away for holding a water hose gun and and people like John don't see anything wrong with this type of incident?
Jan. 5, 2011 at 10:14 a.m.
Wow! That nozzle sure looks like a gun.
Jan. 5, 2011 at 11:01 a.m.
Meck, is time you have your vision check.
Jan. 5, 2011 at 1:27 p.m.
It sure does look like a gun, therefore how could the family be so outraged?
Jan. 5, 2011 at 1:41 p.m.
Jag, I will agree the police totally botched this.
It was a very low crime neighborhood and the deceased was not threatening anyone.
The least they could have done is warn him first.
Jan. 5, 2011 at 1:52 p.m.
syscom 3 is convienently not commenting on this report because the victim is white. where is your criticism of this victim? you have to much respect for the family members involved because they too are white and you can somehow sympathize with their loss..wouldnt want to bring them any additional pain now would you?
Jan. 5, 2011 at 3:04 p.m.
— Curious George .... Mr. Zerby was in a low crime area, was not threatening anyone and was holding this water nozzle in broad daylight.
The officers acted irresponsibly by not first trying to contact him through a PA system from a distance.
For those reasons, the deceased had not done anything wrong and was acting a normal manner. His family has every right to be angry, and will indeed be offered a very large sum of money to keep this from going to court.
Jan. 5, 2011 at 8:45 p.m.
— JAG
Come on now. From a distance that nozzle sure looks like a gun. I'm not saying the cops were right in blasting this guy away, but that nozzle can surely fool someone for a gun.
Jan. 6, 2011 at 8:21 a.m.
he should have known not to point anything at the law,not even a finger!but hey,atleast the cops will kinda feel something since the dude was white,cause we all know they don't feel nothin when they pop us...and they're never wrong when it happens.
Jan. 6, 2011 at 8:24 a.m.
When something is being pointed at you that resembles a gun, your intial reaction would certainly not be to attempt to analyze wether or not it is a gun. With that being said, everybody loves to critique our cops when a situation like this occurs. However, how many of us have a job where a hasty decision, or indecision for that matter can cost us our life and the lives of others? Unless you are a cop, the answer is none of us.
Jan. 6, 2011 at 12:03 p.m.
Do you really think he pointed it at them? Where are the witnesses to that? Of course the police have to say that. They were charged up from the call from the neighbor that it was a gun and they never thought twice. He probably was gonna explain that it was a water nozzle when they shot him. Hope it goes national because if this happened in the "hood" to a black or brown man it wouldnt be an issue at all.
Jan. 6, 2011 at 2:34 p.m.
P.C., have you heard of training? If you can't analyze the situation in a second then you don't belong in the force plain and simple. If cops were held responsible for their killings I'm willing to bet these type of incidents will not be as frequent as they are.
Jan. 6, 2011 at 3:53 p.m.
LBPD can't win this one. And We're supposed to believe they are here to serve and protect us? This goes to prove..
Also, this is to the caller, if you would of minded your own god damn business this would of never happened, i bet you feel so stupid and low my worst wishes to you. you are the cause of the call to LBPD and now the Zerby family lost their father son brother
all prayers to the zerby family<3
Jan. 7, 2011 at 5 p.m.
The deceased got what he deserved. The nozzle looks like a weapon and combine with decreased daylight? Hey, if you get drunk and act stupid, you get what happens to you for your actions.
Jan. 9, 2011 at 9:06 a.m.
LBPD got this one wrong. First off the officers never identified thereselves to the victim. He was not even aware the police were there. So if he was not even aware they were there how can the officers say he pointed the nozzle at them. The officers made a huge error that cost this young man his life. The officers need to be held accountable for their actions.
Jan. 9, 2011 at 8:52 p.m.
my opinion only..doesnt look like a gun..it looks like a water nozzle tip and it was still daytime hmm.. quick draw mcgraw..
Jan. 12, 2011 at 4:49 p.m.
typical police, we all know the LAPD is trigger happy always has been always will be & they wonder why we don't have respect for them, i cant remember the number of times i've been hassled by the LBPD for being drunk & just wandering around at times (we do this alot back home) with very little hassle from anyone hell i've even been threatened with deportation if i don't pull up or so they say.. scumbags through & through
Jan. 13, 2011 at 12:54 a.m.
In Germany, you have to tell them to put it down first and you are meant to shoot them in their legs, if they happen to ignore you. This way, innocent people wont be killed so easily.
R.I.P. and my condolences.
Jan. 13, 2011 at 5:36 p.m.
"The officers had a position of cover and were observing the suspect while other officers were en route," so then why did they shoot? Lawyers and cops you just can't trust them.
Jan. 17, 2011 at 9:25 a.m.
in holland this type of things doesnt happen either, they cant shoot him in the leg? why dont we just shoot him with a shotgun in the chest, whats wrong with youre country
Jan. 21, 2011 at 3:25 a.m.
— lourens .... even you Europeans watch too many movies and think that shooting a suspect in the leg solves everything.
As for your other comment; many people in this country also wonder whats wrong with Europe. I'd say "Belgium", but you're just a tiny country compared to Southern California.
Jan. 22, 2011 at 9:17 a.m.
@ Syscom...Actually I live in the exact area, low crime or not, the object that he was holding looks very similar to a weapon. Had this been an area with a high crime rate, such as green meadows or any other low income area, are u telling me that this would have been a justified shooting? This case is no different than many other officer involved shootings. I’m certainly not a fan of the police, however whether you're caught holding an actual weapon or not, we all know that the police are quick to aim and shoot and this is the bottom line...As I previously questioned, why the outrage? It happens all the time, "In the hood."
Jan. 22, 2011 at 11:17 a.m.
I have to say that I agree with previous comment about syscom3. It appears as if race plays a huge role in the direction of your comments. When the person killed is black or hispanic you comment as if they had it coming or deserved it, whether they were at fault or not. In this case we have a white male who pulled out an object that looked exactly like a gun and you say he did absolutely nothing wrong and was in no way threatening? Seems a little biased to me. Oh and FYI 5pm in december is not broad daylight.
Feb. 11, 2011 at 4:41 p.m.
What an awful travesity of justice. Seeing he was not only shot but was also shot with a shotgun and handgun and then handcuffed really made me feel rage. Who watches these watchers?
Feb. 20, 2011 at 8:18 a.m.
Why don't the police use a night vision scope to determine the objects people hold and if once confirmed radio it to the surrounding cops...that way a weapon of lesser force, like a stun can be used. It doesn't take long to confirm what is being held if you have the right equipment.
April 19, 2011 at 12:39 p.m.
Perhaps the most egregious case in recent memory. Doug Zerby had no idea that cops were even around. Under the US Constitution one cannot be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. The most fundamental aspect of due process is NOTICE. Doug appears to be have been summarily executed. His "notice" came in the form of bullets and pellets. All LBPD has to do was to say "drop it" or announce their presence. In other words, some form of notice.
Apparently, LBPD's logic is that since Doug appeared to present a viable threat to himself (since he was unaware of officers' presence and no one else was around but the officers in question), he was rightfully executed without notice. We should, then, look forward to LBPD staking out the exits to bars and taverns all over town, in snipers' nests, and executing those exiting in their cars who may have had a few too many since they are even more of a threat to society than Doug and his garden hose nozzle ever would have been.
Sept. 10, 2011 at 1:39 p.m.
Justice4Zac,
You want justice fine. But you have alread lost me. Keep the focus on your case...the more you bring into this story the more people you are going to lose. Not every case is winable and not every case is wrong doing by the cop. I don't know enough about your case to make up my mind but neither do you know enough about the cases quoted by you to come to a sound thought. Hope you get what you are looking for...stay focused.
Sept. 10, 2011 at 10:30 p.m.
I had Doug Zerby as a Junior lifeguard when he was a teenager--great competitor and a unique sense of his environment. I was saddened by his death----alcohol was an obvious problem-- I did see him on Judge Judy for that problem -- with his dad----He is one with a child --instead of getting drunk why not be with child and assist with his upbringing? So let me ask this ---it was not alright to point with what looked with a weapon--a warning from police? --is that what is done when a weapon is pointed at you? NOOOOOO----I did shed a tear because I did feel a connection--But does anybody really know how agressive these cops were or were they just protecting themselves?Wayne
Sept. 27, 2011 at 12:25 p.m.
I just read tonight that the police in this case were cleared. What bothers me is that they say they did not ask Mr. Zerby to drop the so called gun. They say they did not ask him to do anything. They said they saw his arm go up for 25 ft to 35 ft away and felt threatened. It is unbelievable. No warning of any kind. They even claim they had someone looking through a telescopic rifle and still they were not able to see what the weapon truly was. This is truly a tragedy.
Nov. 4, 2011 at 12:23 a.m.
I live down the street from this. I knew it happened, I knew the lighting. That thing looks a hell of a lot like a gun. With that lighting, it looks more like a gun. And when an obvious drunkard points this thing at you, you shoot to kill. I wouldn't feel safe if they hadn't shot him. If that had been a gun, which is possible, I mean how smart is he in the first place? Then I would want him shot. The lives of normal citizens outweigh this neglectful alcaholic's.
Dec. 1, 2011 at 9:49 p.m.
Stupid cops supposed to have been trained to take cover if fired apon. But only one thing, Nobody fired on the silly cops.
Dec. 12, 2011 at 10:42 p.m.
This is a deplorable act by the officers and DA. the officer`s never gave any orders. they "ambushed" the man holding a garden tool. This is murder without punishment. What message does this send to other officers? Law enforcement is out of control.
April 4, 2013 at 5:25 p.m.
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