Hunt Continues for Long Beach Officer’s Killer

Combing through information from at least 200 interviews, Long Beach police Monday continued their hunt for suspects in the death of Officer Daryle Black, the first policeman to be killed by gunfire in this port city in almost 25 years.

“We are doing whatever is necessary to get this person into custody,” said Sgt. Steve Filippini, a Police Department spokesman. “Some people out there might think we are doing all these ins and outs for a cop, at the expense of other things. But this guy is barbaric. If he can kill an officer in cold blood, what will he do to a civilian?”

Filippini said a substantial number of investigators have been assigned to the case and a special telephone line has been set up to accept tips from the public. Despite the effort, no arrests had been reported by late Monday.

Black, 33, a gang unit officer, died early Sunday after his unmarked patrol car came under intense automatic weapon fire in the 1900 block of Lime Avenue, about two blocks from Pacific Coast Highway in northern Long Beach. Police said the area is known for gang activity.

Black’s partner, Officer Rick Delfin, a nine-year department veteran, suffered wounds to one leg and his head, which was struck by bullet fragments. Delfin, 41, was listed in stable condition Monday after undergoing surgery at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.

Filippini said that Delfin is doing better than expected and that his doctors are very optimistic about his recovery.

Also wounded in the attack was a 45-year-old woman who is seven months pregnant. Bullets pierced the walls of her Lime Avenue home, striking her several times. The woman, whose name has not been released by authorities, was reported in good condition at St. Mary Medical Center.

Inside police headquarters Monday, the mood was somber as most department members returned to work after the tragic weekend. A picture of a police badge was covered with a black ribbon at the front desk, as were the badges of officers dealing with the public.

Outside, the American flag flew at half-staff. At the city’s memorial for police and firefighters, new flowers were planted and someone had placed a small bouquet at the foot of the shrine.

Later Monday, a group of officers drove down Lime Avenue and placed wreaths of flowers at the scene of the shooting.

“People will tell you he was a gentle giant,” said Sean G. Hunt, a gang unit detective who met Black six years ago. “He knew what he was doing. He was the kind of guy you’d trust with your life.”

Hunt said that the gang unit is usually a “pretty lively place to work” and that everyone is generally in a good mood. “But now it’s real quiet.”

Department officials plan to hold a service and procession to honor Black later this week. Funeral arrangements are pending. The family of the slain officer would like to bury him in Michigan, where he was born.

“He was large in stature, but polite almost to a fault,” said Connell Black of Denver, contrasting his brother’s courtesy with his 6-foot-plus, 240-pound frame. “Police work was all he talked about. He thoroughly loved his work--and Notre Dame football.”

Meanwhile, police have removed the street barricades and restrictions on residents in a nine-square-block area around the shooting scene. It had been cordoned off all day Sunday so investigators could search for suspects, gather evidence and question witnesses.

Immediately after the shooting, authorities confined people to their homes and barred all cars and pedestrians from entering the area without permission. Police said they gradually reopened the neighborhood Sunday, lifting all restrictions by 6 p.m.

“We needed to make sure the area was thoroughly searched and that critical evidence was removed,” Filippini said. “When we finished, the public was allowed to have access again.”

Some of those turned away Sunday complained about the inconvenience. Others did not.

“We couldn’t leave our homes on Sunday and I had to miss church,” said Vera Shipp, who lives on Lime Avenue a few houses from where Black was mortally wounded. “The police had to do their job. Most of us appreciate that and understand why. This was a terrible thing.”

So far, detectives have taken more than 200 statements from people who live in and around the area. Police said the information will be reviewed for possible leads, something Filippini described as “a painstaking process.”

The department is requesting the public’s assistance in the investigation. Anyone with information about the shooting can call (877) 636-3300.