Witness Claims Man Shot by Police Fired First Shot

An Anaheim man who was shot and killed by a police officer Saturday morning fired at the officer first, according to a man who claims to have witnessed the shooting.

The man’s account agrees with the account given by Anaheim police, who said 28-year-old Ruben Ayala fired at Officer Craig Palmer after Palmer had responded to a report that four men were causing a disturbance in the parking lot of an apartment complex at 629 Vermont Ave.

According to the apparent witness, who identified himself only as “Ken” and said he saw the incident from his second-floor apartment, four men were shooting a gun into the air after watching the fireworks show at Disneyland. The men were standing around a car listening to a stereo, and one of the men was holding a gun, he said.

“The officer asked the guy his name,” Ken said. He said he heard gunshot and saw the officer fall over a low stone wall. The officer then began firing from behind the wall at the man, who attempted to flee behind apartment buildings, Ken said.

Ken’s wife, who refused to give her name, said she was in the kitchen when the incident occurred.

“I came outside and saw the guy pick up his hands and shoot,” she said. “I didn’t know there was a police officer out there, I thought the guy was shooting at his friends. . . . They’d been shooting the gun off all night.”

The police officer was not injured but was placed on temporary leave to let him seek counseling if needed, which is department policy.

Sgt. John Haradon said Monday that the incident is being investigated by both the Police Department and the Orange County district attorney’s office.

Ken said residents in the apartment complex weren’t fazed by the shooting.

“Everything’s the same,” he said. “This is a rough neighborhood. If you don’t (carry a gun), something serious is going to happen to you.”