Michael Deluca, 53

Port hueneme, California
September 06, 2013

Agencies: Ventura County Sheriff's Office California

Cause of death: Shooting


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Last updated: almost 6 years ago

Overview

Michael De Luca, 53, was killed sometime after 4:15 a.m. on Sept. 6, 2013, in the parking lot of Hueneme Beach Park after Officer Robin Matlock and Sgt. Chris Graham responded to a report of a traffic collision, the report says.

De Luca was not complying with officers’ orders to stay in his vehicle, and both officers said he seemed impaired, the report says.

“There was something not right,” Graham said in the report.

According to the report, De Luca stepped toward Graham as he reached behind him and said he had a gun, the report states. Matlock saw the movement as aggressive and fired her stun gun at De Luca who made a “somersault-like movement” to the ground, but the device did not incapacitate him.

Graham, who no longer had his flashlight in hand, saw De Luca move his hand from his waistband, pointing it like a gun toward the officers while still on the ground, the report states. Graham yelled there was a gun and fired four shots at De Luca, the report states.

Matlock said she could not see a gun but based on what Graham had yelled and De Luca’s movements she fired one shot, the report states.

Medical crews were called but De Luca was pronounced dead at the scene. A gun was never found but a knife was located in his vehicle, according to the report.

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