Police Revise Account of Shooting by Officers

Glendale police on Monday changed their account of an officer-involved shooting, saying that police, and not an elderly man, fired the first shot in an exchange that critically wounded the 85-year-old Glendale resident.

A Los Angeles County sheriff’s shooting reconstruction team was summoned Monday to the Glendale home where three police officers shot Albert Levinson Rackin, who had reportedly threatened them with a flare gun Friday night.

Glendale police Sgt. Peter A. Michael said the deputies were hired to help police supervisors interpret how the exchange of gunfire took place.

Michael said Glendale police will finish their internal probe within two weeks, then report to the district attorney’s office, which will decide whether to conduct its own investigation.

Rackin, who lived alone in a small rental house in south Glendale, had been described Saturday by police as being in his mid-60s. He remained in critical condition Monday at Glendale Memorial Hospital, said hospital spokesman Bryan Bishop. Police said he was shot several times in the upper torso.

Rackin’s neighbors called paramedics because he appeared to be suffering from diabetes-related problems, Michael said. The paramedics who arrived at the home called police when Rackin threatened them with the flare gun.

Officers said they confronted Rackin at the door of the house, but he refused to drop the weapon.

Glendale police initially reported that officers fired after Rackin shot at them. But Michael said further investigation determined that police fired first “to protect one of the officers” when Rackin moved toward the policeman.

After the officers fired, Rackin discharged the flare gun, but the round landed behind police, Michael said.

The officers who fired their weapons were identified Monday as Sgt. Don Meredith, an 18-year veteran of the department and officers Stephen Robertson and Robert Breckenridge, who have each been with the department for three years.

Michael said the department had not yet determined Monday which officer shot first and how many rounds were fired.