Susie Young Kim, 37

Santa Ana, California
April 10, 2011

Agencies: Orange County District Attorney ’s Office California | Santa Ana Police Department California | Buena Park Police Department California

Cause of death: Shooting


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Last updated: over 3 years ago

Overview

A Korean-American woman driving with her daughter was shot dead by a police officer after fleeing a patrol at speeds of up to 100mph in the United States, Friday.

Local media reported that Susie Young Kim, 37, was killed after 30 minutes of a police chase in Santa Ana, Orange County, around 1 a.m. Her 13-month-old daughter in the back seat of her car was unharmed and sent to a child protection center.

The police said they attempted to stop the car, suspecting she might be drunk, but she ran away, slamming her car into the patrol car.

The police are investigating whether the shooting followed procedure. ``We don't know what led the officer to shoot. I have no reason to believe he knew she had a child in the car,'' Santa Ana police commander Tammy Franks was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.

An officer saw a child's seat in her car and told colleagues about it over the emergency radio, but another from Buena Park police said that officers sometimes miss radio transmissions.

An official at the Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles said that the police investigation will determine whether or not the shooting was an overreaction.

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July 2009 Lawsuit filed

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