Christopher Dorner

Name

Christopher Dorner

STATUS

Dorner died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, during a stand-off with police at a cabin in the San Bernardino Mountains on February 12, 2013

Timeline

• February 1, 2013 — Anderson Cooper of CNN received a package at his office containing a DVD that stated Dorner's case against the LAPD; the package also contained a bullet-ridden challenge coin issued by LAPD Chief William Bratton and a note inscribed with "1MOA".
• February 3, 2013 — Monica Quan, 28, and her fiance Keith Lawrence, 27, were found shot to death in an Irvine parking garage.
• February 4, 2013 — A manifesto was published online, purportedly by Dorner, outlining his experiences and stating his motives for the shootings as being to clear his name; Dorner wrote, "I will not be alive to see my name cleared. That's what this is about, my name."
• February 5, 2013 — Dorner checked into Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego, but skipped checkout procedures when leaving.
• February 6, 2013 — Irvine police named Dorner as the primary suspect in the murders of Monica Quan and Keith Lawrence on the afternoon of February 6, 2013.
• February 7, 2013 — Law enforcement located the burning remains of Dorner's vehicle, a dark gray 2005 Nissan Titan truck, on a remote fire trail near Big Bear Lake.
• February 9, 2013 — CNN reported that the Los Angeles Police Department was re-opening its investigation into Dorner's dismissal from the LAPD.
• February 10, 2013 — Authorities offered a $1 million reward for information leading to the capture of Dorner; for the first time, Dorner's actions were described as being a form of "domestic terrorism".
• February 11, 2013 — The Riverside District Attorney filed formal charges against Dorner for the murder of a police officer and the attempted murder of three other officers.
• February 12, 2013 — Dorner died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head during a stand-off with police at a cabin in the San Bernardino Mountains.
• February 13, 2013 — Human remains were reported to have been found in the search for Dorner's body in the cabin; a wallet with a California driver's license with the name "Christopher Dorner" was found in the rubble of the cabin.
• February 14, 2013 — Medical examiners confirmed during an autopsy, using dental records, that the charred body found in the burned-out cabin was in fact that of Christopher Dorner.
• February 15, 2013 — The sheriff's office announced the autopsy showed Dorner died from single gunshot wound to the head and evidence indicated it was self-inflicted.

Background

Christopher Jordan Dorner (June 4, 1979 – February 12, 2013) was an ex-LAPD police officer and former United States Navy reservist who was charged in connection with a series of shooting attacks on police officers and their families from February 3–12, 2013.

The attacks left four people dead, including two police officers, and left three police officers wounded. Dorner was the subject of one of the largest manhunts in LAPD history, spanning two U.S. states and Mexico.

Dorner up to the shootings was living in La Palma with his mother. Dorner left no children and court records showed his wife filed for divorce in 2007. Dorner was previously married, with no children.

Dorner was born in 1979 in New York and grew up in Los Angeles County, California. He attended elementary school at Norwalk Christian School from first to seventh grade. He stated in a published manifesto that he was the only African American student at Norwalk Christian School, where he encountered many racial issues with his peers, and was raised in neighborhoods with scant black populations. He said he was frequently disciplined for being involved with fights with other students in response to racist name-calling.

Dorner attended John F. Kennedy High School in La Palma and Cypress High School in Cypress, where he graduated in 1997. He graduated from Southern Utah University in 2001 with a major in political science and a minor in psychology. The university confirmed that Dorner played football for at least two of those years. As a running back in the 1999 season, Dorner played 6 games and rushed for 36 yards in 10 carries.

Naval reservist Dorner was a former Naval Reserve lieutenant (O-3) who was honorably discharged. He was commissioned in 2002, commanded a security unit at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, and served with a Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit from June 23, 2004, to February 28, 2006. He was deployed to Bahrain with Coastal Riverine Group Two from November 3, 2006, to April 23, 2007. Dorner was honorably discharged from the Navy Reserve on February 1, 2013.

During his time as a reservist, he received ribbons for marksmanship and a medal for pistol expertise.

In 2002, Dorner and a classmate found a bag containing nearly $8,000 that belonged to Enid Korean Church of Grace in Enid, Oklahoma. They turned it in to the police. When asked their motive, Dorner said: "it's an integrity thing." He said: "The military stresses integrity." There was a couple of thousand dollars, and if people are willing to give that to a church, it must be pretty important to them. Dorner said his mother taught him honesty and integrity.

Neighbors described Dorner as a member of an admired, well-liked family who usually kept to himself.

The offence

Christopher Dorner was charged in connection with a series of shooting attacks on police officers and their families from February 3–12, 2013.

The attacks included killing Monica Quan and Keith Lawrence in an Irvine parking garage and the murder of a police officer and attempted murder of three other officers.

Investigation

Manifesto and online communications

Before embarking on a series of alleged shootings and eluding police, Dorner was purported to have posted a detailed communication on his Facebook page in early February 2013, discussing his history, motivations, and plans. This became known as his "manifesto".

KTLA published a redacted version of the manifesto that elided the names of all parties mentioned in the other version, including notable media figures, making the document difficult to comprehend. Unredacted versions were viewable along with an annotated version with acronyms, abbreviations, and terms-of-art.

In the manifesto, Dorner cited his termination despite sworn testimony that such excessive force did occur. He noted that no action was taken against Officer Evans, whom Dorner had accused of excessive force and who accused Dorner of misconduct during a patrol. Dorner demanded a public admission by the LAPD that his firing was in retaliation for reporting excessive force. During the manhunt, Dorner achieved hero status across social media with Facebook groups supporting him and trending hashtags on Twitter including #WeAreChrisDorner, #WeStandWithDorner, #CantCornerTheDorner, and #GoChrisGo.

In another statement associated with the manifesto, Dorner declared "unconventional and asymmetric warfare" upon the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), their families, and their associates, until the LAPD admitted publicly he was fired in retaliation for reporting excessive force.

Dorner also detailed his motivation in his online manifesto. Dorner claimed that as retaliation for reporting Police brutality|excessive force by a colleague, the LAPD terminated his employment for making false statements. Dorner said this cost him not only his job, but also his security clearances and thus his Navy career. He claimed that the LAPD would ordinarily file criminal charges against any officer accused and terminated for filing a false police report. Dorner said the LAPD did not charge him "because you knew I was innocent and a criminal court would find me innocent and expose your department for suppressing the truth and retaliation".

Dorner issued a single demand: a public admission by the LAPD that his termination was in retaliation for reporting excessive force. He also asked journalists to pursue what he called "the truth", pointing out specific lines of investigation for reporters to follow under the Freedom of Information Act, and said that "video evidence" was sent to multiple news agencies.

In a Facebook post attributed to him, Dorner warned Quan of 'deadly consequences for you and your family.'

Large manhunt

In the wake of the Quan–Lawrence shooting and the posting of Dorner's manifesto, law enforcement mounted a widespread manhunt that spread from California to include Nevada and Mexico.

The burning remains of Dorner's vehicle, a dark gray 2005 Nissan Titan truck, were located on February 7 on a remote fire trail near Big Bear Lake, about 80 miles from Los Angeles. Investigators searched the surrounding area, and about 125 officers went door to door.

All schools in the Bear Valley Unified School District were placed into a state of lockdown. Protection details were set up for over 40 potential targets. Thousands of police were assigned to patrol Southern California's highways. The LAPD took police off motorcycles to protect them.

On February 10, an unmanned aerial vehicle was deployed to aid the search from the air amid fears Dorner would head for the Mexican border. A Lowe's home improvement store in Northridge, Los Angeles, was evacuated based on reports of a possible sighting of Dorner.

Administrative and charging actions

On February 11, 2013, the Riverside District Attorney filed formal charges against Dorner for the murder of a police officer and the attempted murder of three other officers.

Arrest / custody actions during the manhunt

Tied-up couple and stolen vehicle; reported alert

On February 12, 2013, Dorner tied up a married couple who had discovered him at their residence located in the 1200 block of Club View Drive south of Big Bear Lake, California, close to Snow Summit and Bear Mountain Resort. Dorner then left the place in a stolen vehicle.

The wife managed to get free and alerted the police at 12:20 PM PST.

Vehicle identification and exchange of gunfire

At 12:45 PM PST, wardens from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife identified Dorner traveling down California State Route 38 near the crossroad of Glass Road, east of Angelus Oaks. Dorner responded by firing shots at a marked vehicle. A game warden in that vehicle reportedly returned fire.

Dorner was cornered by San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department (SBSO) deputies in a rural mountainous area northeast of Angelus Oaks. Gunfire was exchanged and two deputies were wounded, one fatally.

The San Bernardino deputy killed was later identified as Detective Jeremiah MacKay. Another account stated the shootout began after deputies responded, and that Dorner was barricaded in a cabin near the command center of the manhunt, with the building surrounded by law enforcement.

Trial

No trial information was provided.

Sentencing

No sentencing information was provided.

Appeals

No appeals information was provided.

Outcome

Mountain siege and Dorner’s death

During the cabin standoff, police initially attempted to get Dorner out using ordinary “cold” tear gas and demanding over loudspeakers that he surrender.

When Dorner did not respond, police used a demolition vehicle to knock down most walls of the building. They then shot incendiary gas canisters called "burners" into the cabin, starting the cabin on fire.

Investigative journalist Max Blumenthal suggested that audio from the San Bernardino County Channel 7/8 police radio showed that officers deliberately set the cabin on fire as a tactical strategy to kill or smoke out Dorner. Police radio communications recorded before and during the fire included:

• "We’re gonna go ahead with the plan with the burner,"
• "The burner’s deployed and we have a fire,"
• "Burn that fucking house down,"
• "Fucking burn this motherfucker,"
• "Because the fire is contained, I’m gonna let that heat burn through the basement."

A message posted on February 12 to the Twitter account of the San Bernardino County district attorney's office said: "The sheriff has asked all members of the press to stop tweeting immediately. It is hindering officer safety. #Dorner—"

The post was removed within "a few hours."

At 4:20 PM PST, the cabin at 40612 Seven Oaks Road, Angelus Oaks, where Dorner had taken refuge following a subsequent exchange with officers, was observed to be burning. Ammunition stored inside began exploding. At the time, the cause of the fire was unknown.

San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon claimed officers shot pyrotechnic tear gas into the cabin, which then inadvertently caught on fire, stating their intention was to drive Dorner out, not set the cabin on fire.

A single gunshot from the cabin was heard shortly thereafter. Officials did not try to put out the fire.

Officials denied reports that a body believed to be that of Dorner had been recovered from a burning cabin. In a press conference, LAPD Commander Andrew Smith stated that no body had been removed from the site and that the cabin area was "too hot to make entry".

On February 13, it was reported that human remains had been found in the search for Dorner's body in the cabin. A wallet with a California driver's license with the name "Christopher Dorner" was found in the rubble of the cabin. On February 13, San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon also said that deputies did not intentionally burn down the cabin and that deputies knocked on the door during the search for Dorner but moved on when they received no answer.

On February 14, medical examiners confirmed during an autopsy, using dental records, that the charred body found in the burned-out cabin was in fact that of Christopher Dorner, settling conclusively any question as to whether he had died.

On February 15, the sheriff's office announced the autopsy showed Dorner died from single gunshot wound to the head and evidence indicated it was self-inflicted. At the same news conference, San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon continued to deny that deputies deliberately set the cabin on fire. San Bernardino County Sheriff's Capt. Gregg Herbert said the canisters were used only as a last resort and: "This was our only option," about the pyrotechnic tear gas, and that: "the potential for igniting a fire was taken into account."

Wallet finds

A wallet containing identification cards belonging to Dorner was reported to have been found at the San Ysidro Point of Entry near the US-Mexico border on February 7, 2013.

Another wallet containing Dorner's driver's license was reported to have been found in the remains of the burnt-out cabin on February 12, 2013.

Aftermath

Reward division

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced a $1 million reward for information leading to the capture of Christopher Dorner, and because the terms of the offer were not carefully stipulated, judges had to later decide how the reward would be divided.

Ultimately, the reward was divided four ways, with the largest portion going to James and Karen Reynolds, who were tied up by Dorner in their Big Bear cabin before he stole their vehicle.

Protest

There were online protests against the LAPD and a protest at police HQ on February 16, 2013. Protestors stated they objected to the manner in which Dorner's dismissal was handled, the reckless shooting of civilians by the LAPD during the manhunt, and allegations that the police had intentionally set fire to the cabin in which Dorner was hiding.

Other details

LAPD employment and discipline

Dorner joined the Los Angeles Police Department in 2005, completing police academy training in 2006.

Two weeks after July 28, 2007, Dorner and his training officer, fellow police officer Teresa Evans (now a sergeant), went to the DoubleTree Hotel in San Pedro regarding a mentally ill man, Christopher Gettler, who was causing a disturbance.

The next day after a performance review, Dorner filed a report alleging that Evans had used excessive force in her treatment of Christopher Gettler. Dorner accused Evans of twice kicking Gettler in the face while he was handcuffed and lying on the ground.

An internal review board investigated the claims and listened to testimony of several witnesses. Christopher Gettler's father, Richard Gettler, testified that after his son returned home his face was puffy and his son claimed he was kicked by a police officer. Richard Gettler did not report it because the injury was minor and his son was unable to explain why he had been kicked.

Christopher Gettler claimed he had been kicked by a female officer who was "almost black" with dark hair. Evans was described as white with blond hair. Gettler partially corrected himself by saying she had light hair. Gettler thought his injuries were caused by a club.

Richard Gettler said his son's mental illness prevented him from being a good witness. Gettler was described as schizophrenic with severe dementia.

Dorner was represented by former Los Angeles police captain Randal Quan and maintained that Evans had kicked Christopher Gettler after handcuffing him.

Three witnesses, including two hotel employees and a port police officer, testified that they did not see Evans kick Christopher Gettler. Evans denied kicking Gettler. The port police officer recalled telling Dorner to fix his tie, but a photograph from the scene showed Dorner was not wearing a tie.

The board's three members—two LAPD captains and a criminal defense attorney—unanimously ruled against Dorner, finding his claims lacked credibility and that he was motivated in part by fear that his training officer would give a poor evaluation ending his career. Dorner's employment was terminated on September 4, 2008.

Court review of termination

In 2010, the case was examined by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge David P. Yaffe, who upheld the LAPD's decision to fire Dorner. Judge David P. Yaffe said he was "uncertain whether the training officer kicked the suspect or not" but nevertheless upheld the department's decision to fire Dorner.

Dorner appealed his termination by the LAPD Board of Rights by filing a writ of mandamus with the Los Angeles County Superior Court. The court upheld the LAPD's action. He then appealed to the California Court of Appeal for the Second Appellate District, which affirmed the lower court's ruling on October 3, 2011.

Under California law, administrative findings in this case were entitled to a presumption of correctness, and Dorner bore the burden of proving they were incorrect. The appeals court concluded the LAPD Board of Rights had substantial evidence for its finding that Dorner was not credible in his allegations against Sergeant Evans.

On February 9, 2013, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck ordered a review of the disciplinary case that led to Dorner's dismissal. Chief Beck said officials would re-examine the allegations by Dorner that his law enforcement career was undone by racist colleagues.

In a separate account of the termination process, Dorner’s first day with training officer Teresa Evans included an alleged statement by Evans that Dorner told her that he was going to sue the LAPD after he completed his probationary period. That account also stated Dorner filed a complaint accusing Evans of kicking Christopher Gettler on July 28, 2007, after Gettler was tased and had given up, and that hotel employees interviewed by LAPD detectives claimed they did not see Evans kick the man.

That account described that Gettler was brought to the police station and given medical treatment for injuries to his face but did not mention being kicked at that time. Later that day, Gettler told his father he had been kicked by an officer, and his father testified at Dorner's disciplinary hearing. It described that in a videotaped interview with Dorner's attorney shown at the hearing, Gettler stated he was kicked in the face by a female police officer on the day in the place in question; when Gettler testified at the hearing, his responses were described as "generally . . . incoherent and nonresponsive."

The alternative account also stated that for seven months during the investigation, Evans was assigned to desk duty and wasn't allowed to earn money outside of her LAPD job, and that the investigation concluded there was no kicking and investigators decided Dorner had lied. It stated Dorner was fired by the LAPD in 2008 for making false statements.

Quotes during termination hearing

Dorner screamed in disbelief at the end of the hearing: "I told the truth! How could this (ruling) happen?"

Shipping and notes

Anderson Cooper’s package included a bullet-ridden challenge coin issued by LAPD Chief William Bratton and a note inscribed with "1MOA" (1 minute of angle), implying that the coin was shot at 100 meters.

Early manhunt incidents and mistaken identities

On the morning of February 7, Los Angeles police officers fired approximately 100 shots at a blue Toyota pickup truck in which Margie Carranza and her 71-year-old mother, Emma Hernandez, were delivering newspapers. Officers mistook their truck for the gray Nissan Titan Dorner was believed to be driving. Hernandez was hit and Carranza suffered injuries from flying glass. Officers were guarding the home of a high-ranking police official.

The city of Los Angeles agreed to a $4.2 million settlement besides the initial $40,000 compensation for their truck.

Approximately 25 minutes after that incident, officers from the Torrance Police Department struck and opened fire on another vehicle. That incident involved a black Honda Ridgeline driven by a white male. The victim of the second weapon discharge by police was David Perdue. His pickup truck was described by police as matching Dorner’s truck description, but a later report said the vehicle was of a different make and color and that Perdue "looks nothing like" the suspect. Perdue was not hit by any bullets but reportedly suffered injuries from the car impact.

Names, ages, and victims killed

Monica Quan was 28. Keith Lawrence was 27. They were found shot to death in an Irvine parking garage.

Press, radio, and statements

A message posted on the San Bernardino County district attorney's Twitter account on February 12 included: #Dorner—"

LAPD Commander Andrew Smith stated in a press conference that no body had been removed from the site and that the cabin area was "too hot to make entry".

San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon continued to deny deliberate burning. Sheriff’s Capt. Gregg Herbert said: "This was our only option," and that: