Newport Police Name Man Killed in Bank

Newport Beach police Wednesday named the man they fatally shot the day before when he became belligerent and brandished a gun at a Washington Mutual bank branch.

Tellers summoned police when Paul K. Acierno, 35, of Costa Mesa allegedly tried to cash a forged check about 4:15 p.m. at the Newport Center Drive branch.

“He had some sort of financial instrument he was trying to negotiate with one of the bank tellers,” said Newport Beach Police Sgt. Steve Shulman. “They didn’t feel, obviously, that it was a legitimate transaction, so we got contacted.”

Officers tried to coax Acierno out of the bank, but he was “not cooperative,” Shulman said.

When he drew the gun, one of two that Shulman said he was carrying, police shot him “several times.” Acierno died about three hours later at Western Medical Center-Santa Ana.

Acierno was wanted on no-bail warrants alleging firing a weapon in the air in a public place and stalking, Shulman said.

His record included convictions in Los Angeles County for shooting a firearm in a grossly negligent manner, stalking and making criminal threats.

Several employees and customers witnessed the bank confrontation, but there were no other injuries, Shulman said.

The officers involved will be put on routine administrative leave, Shulman said, until it is determined how they are coping emotionally with the shooting.

The Orange County district attorney’s office and the Newport Beach Police Department will investigate, Shulman said. The district attorney’s office has handled 22 officer-involved shooting investigations this year, including Acierno’s. The Costa Mesa man was the 13th person killed by officers this year.