Man Claims Police Gave No Warning in Fatal Shooting

A man who was outside a garage where San Diego police shot and killed a 25-year-old Clairemont resident last weekend says that the officers did not identify themselves or shout a warning before the shooting.

“They never said a word,” said Dave Maxe, 31, who said he was standing just around the corner of a garage where Chip Doonan was shot by police.

“They never said: ‘Hey, stop. Police,’ ” Maxe said.

Meanwhile, an attorney for Doonan’s mother said he is investigating allegations by friends and relatives that Doonan may have been the victim of harassment for months by three police officers--including the one who fired the fatal shot on Saturday. The campaign of harassment allegedly included surveillance during off-duty hours and arrests on drug-related charges that were dropped because of insufficient evidence.

Police Lt. Louis J. Scanlon said, “We are aware of the allegations and we will conduct an investigation. At this time, the allegations of harassment are unsubstantiated, but it would be premature for us to comment until we can make a complete investigation.”

Doonan was shot once in the chest Saturday by Officer Ron Featherly after Featherly and his partner, Norman Ernsbarger, followed Doonan behind a garage in the 3500 block of Jemez Drive.

Moving His Belongings

At the time, friends said, Doonan was moving his belongings from the back of a nearby camper shell to the garage. They said Doonan had been living in the camper shell but was moving because the shell had been sold by its owner, Deanna Stein.

Police said that along with the clothing, Doonan was carrying what appeared to be a .45-caliber handgun--later determined to be a BB gun.

When the officers followed him behind the garage, police said, they told Doonan to drop the weapon that he was carrying under his arm. Doonan was shot as he was reaching across his body for the gun with a free hand, police said.

Maxe, however, said he never heard the officers give the warning. He said he was about eight feet away and around the corner from the shooting.

“They never said nothing,” Maxe said.

is a retired San Diego police officer, so it’s not that I don’t know what a gun looks like.”

Sgt. Hank Olias, of the department’s homicide unit, said Maxe’s account contradicts with what he told police the day of the shooting. Olias declined to say what Maxe told investigators until after police investigations of the incident are completed.

“Mr. Maxe has been quoted in newspapers and on television, but what he said there is not necessarily what he told us,” Olias said.

Police were at the home on Jemez Drive because Stein called them about a domestic disturbance, which did not pertain to Doonan. Maxe was living in Stein’s house and said the officers were relaxed as they asked questions about the domestic disturbance complaint.

Maxe said Featherly and Ernsbarger were standing in Stein’s living room when they spotted Doonan in the backyard.

“When they (police officers) were talking to us, everything was lax and lighthearted,” Maxe said. “But when they headed for the yard, the mood changed instantly.

“You could feel the tension,” he said. “They bolted out the back door.”

Followed Officers

Maxe said he followed the officers as they charged toward Doonan, who turned around the corner of the garage and out of sight.

Even before the officers turned the corner themselves, they drew their guns, Maxe said. Maxe said he tried to assure the officers that Doonan wasn’t dangerous, saying: “He’s all right. He’s OK. He lives here.”

At that point, Maxe said, he decided to walk back toward the house. “I sensed something was going to happen,” he said.

Seconds later, there was a gunshot. Doonan died at Sharp Memorial Hospital.

Stephen White, a Chula Vista-based attorney hired by Doonan’s mother, said he is “trying to put together all the facts” behind the shooting and is investigating allegations by friends and relatives that Doonan had been harassed by Featherly, Ernsbarger and another officer, Richard D. Draper.

Arrested Twice

Court records show that Draper arrested Doonan twice on drug-related charges last year, but the cases were dropped because of insufficient evidence. Steve Casey, spokesman for the district attorney’s office, said Draper arrested Doonan in April and September.

In addition, Draper stopped and ticketed Doonan three times during November and December, 1987, said attorney White. Draper cited Doonan on Nov. 11 for a registration violation and then stopped him on Nov. 28 for driving with a bald rear tire.

Draper again stopped Doonan on Dec. 5 and cited him for driving without a registration and having excessive smoke coming out of his car.

In addition to the stops and arrests by Draper, Doonan was arrested in March, 1987, on a drug-related charge by Officer M. Hahn, but the charges were dropped because the police action included an illegal search of Doonan’s car.

White also said that he has reports that police officers watched Doonan while they were off duty.

Attempts to reach Featherly, Draper and Ernsbarger Thursday were unsuccessful.

Candlelight Vigil

Doonan’s friends scheduled a candlelight vigil Thursday night at the South Clairemont Recreation Center, which Doonan frequented in his youth.

Those who knew him said Doonan was not dangerous or violent.

“My main concern is not to persecute the police or question the circumstances (of the shooting), it’s to keep my friend from having his character defamed,” said Mike Dillon, 26, who had known Doonan since the second grade and helped organize the vigil. “It’s just a tragedy.”

Shari Alford, 26, said that “even back in elementary school where little boys are always getting into fights, Chip never even had a fistfight.”

Dave Hofstetter, 30, who had known Doonan 2 1/2 years, believes it was the non-functioning Daisy BB-gun that he gave Doonan some time ago that led to his friend’s death.

‘Gentleman’s Gentleman’

“He was a fun-loving guy,” he said. “We went out a couple of times with a couple of girls and he was really a gentleman’s gentleman.”

Hofstetter described Doonan as a jack-of-all-trades, and said he was always working on his 1968 Chevrolet Camaro.

Friends said Doonan has held several jobs in recent years, including stints at a San Diego shipyard and at a company that makes circuit boards.

Last Monday, he was supposed to start a new job as a drain cleaner for the Crew Plumbing company in Clairemont.

“He seemed quite suitable for the job,” said owner George Crew. “He didn’t seem like the type who would get me in trouble with my customers.”

Standing outside the garage where Doonan was shot, Rick Bailey, 26, said Doonan was “one of the most easy-going guys you’d ever known.”

Lives Next Door

Bailey, who lives next door to where the shooting occurred, decribed Doonan as a very timid person. “If you even raised your voice at him, he’d say ‘OK,’ ” he said.

“When you got two .357s (magnum revolvers) pointed at you and all you got is a BB gun under your arm, what are you going to do?” he asked incredulously.

A police spokesman said Featherly has been assigned to administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigations, a routine action following officer-involved shootings.