The Region - News from Feb. 3, 1987

A sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a man under the influence of PCP in a hospital emergency room when the man grabbed another deputy’s gun, authorities said. Jeffery A. Rosa, 25, had flagged down Deputy James Deruyter in Pico Rivera. When Rosa began pounding on the deputy’s patrol car, Deruyter and Sgt. Dennis Howell used a stun gun to immobilize him, Deputy Carol Deeley said. Believing that the man had broken his hand during the struggle, the deputies took him to the emergency room of Pico Rivera Community Hospital, Deeley said. After one of Rosa’s bound hands was freed for X-rays, he became “violent and combative” and the deputies used the stun gun again. That had no effect and Rosa struggled with the two deputies and emergency room staff, managing to grab Howell’s gun. Rosa was aiming the gun at Howell when Deruyter fired three shots, Deeley said, adding, “But even that had no effect on him, and the deputy shot three more times.” Police said a vial of PCP was found on Rosa.