Rescued Man Attacks Rescuers

**Willowdared** · 07-21-08, 03:11 AM

Man rescued, then killed by Harbor Police after fight

By Mike Freeman
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
July 20, 2008

San Diego Harbor Police fatally shot a man late Saturday after he began fighting with officers who had just rescued him from the water.

Harbor Police responded to a call from a boat chartered for a gay pride cruise about a man overboard about 11:50 p.m., said Harbor Police Sgt. David Fouser. A police boat found the man in the water about 500 feet south of the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station on Harbor Drive across from Lindbergh Field.

The man was identified by the Medical Examiner's Office as 37-year-old Steven Paul Hirschfield. He boarded the boat and began fighting with two officers, Harbor Police said. He knocked one officer to the deck, took the officer's Taser stun gun and began beating him in the face with it.

Hirschfield then tried to get the injured officer's gun. As he struggled to “get control” of the gun, the second officer shot the man once in the chest, Harbor Police said.

The police boat went to a nearby dock at the Embarcadero and met paramedics. Hirschfield was pronounced dead by paramedics. The injured officer was transported to a hospital with face and leg injuries. He was released Sunday morning, according to Fouser.
San Diego police officers are investigating the shooting with the assistance of Harbor Police and the San Diego County District Attorney's Office. An autopsy for Hirschfield has been scheduled for Monday.

**Shoestring** · 07-21-08, 04:36 AM

Just from what was in the article 100% JUSTIFIED!

**pgg** · 07-21-08, 05:11 AM

Originally Posted by Shoestring

Just from what was in the article 100% JUSTIFIED!

+1

**LibPD514** · 07-21-08, 05:13 AM

Protect your partner! That's what he did, and justifiably so. Both cops are alive, and that's what matters most!

**Rhino** · 07-21-08, 05:30 AM

I wonder why he attacked them?

**CTR man** · 07-21-08, 08:32 AM

Because he is an idiot fueled by alcohol and or drugs?

I just heard about this on Clip Syndicate that is posted on the front page of O/R. They are waiting for toxicology reports to come back. It seems that these yacht parties are known for their free flowing alcohol.

Maybe he realized he had demons in him and wanted to get the gay beat out of him?

http://www.10news.com/news/16935570/detail.html

Police Shoot, Kill Man After Pulling Him From Harbor

Man Attacked Officer With Taser, Police Say

UPDATED: 10:30 pm PDT July 20, 2008

SAN DIEGO -- A man from Los Angeles was shot dead by San Diego Harbor Police after they plucked him out of San Diego Bay and he reportedly fought with officers and tried to grab an officer's pistol, authorities said.

An autopsy will be conducted Monday on 37-year-old Steven Paul Hirschfield, who was rescued by the police officers he then allegedly attacked in the bay, about a miles west of the downtown Embacadero area.

Harbor Police Lt. Ken Franke said a charter boat in the bay reported a man overboard about 11:10 p.m. Saturday, and Harbor Police officers in a boat fished Hirschfield out of the bay about 500 feet south of the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station on North Harbor Drive. <title>lmb_multi-hl_PassStHulaGryHdCHPBd15s_Fed Hold2_AV133_529_0708_300x250&l t;/title><A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://ad.doubleclick.net/click%3Bh=v8/3704/3/0/%2a/g%3B205854088%3B2-0%3B0%3B22890689%3B4307-300/250%3B27456984/27474863/1%3B%3B%7Eokv%3D%3Bkw%3Dnews+s quare+16935570+C05503_10396+C0 5503_10431%3Bcomp%3Dfalse%3Bad %3Dtrue%3Bpgtype%3Ddetail%3Bti le%3D3%3Bsz%3D300x250%3B%7Eaop t%3D0/ff/236e/ff%3B%7Efdr%3D187964038%3B0-0%3B0%3B12654803%3B4307-300/250%3B24215788/24233641/1%3B%3B%7Eokv%3D%3Bkw%3Dnews+s quare+16935570+C05503_10396+C0 5503_10431%3Bcomp%3Dfalse%3Bad %3Dtrue%3Bpgtype%3Ddetail%3Bti le%3D3%3Bsz%3D300x250%3B%7Eaop t%3D2/0/236e/0%3B%7Esscs%3D%3fhttps://www.lowermybills.com/servlet/LMBServlet?the_action=Navigate HomeLoansAdRedirect&source id=22890689-205854088-27474863"><IMG SRC="http://m1.2mdn.net/1420759/lmb_multi-hl_PassStHulaGryHdCHPBd15s_Fed Hold2_AV133_529_0708_300x250.g if" BORDER=0></A>

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that the cruise boat was a "gay pride day" excursion.

Once aboard the police boat, Hirschfield fought with the two officers, Franke said.

The rescued man knocked one officer to the deck, injuring him, then took his Taser stun gun and hit him in the face with it, Franke said.

Hirschfield then tried to take the officer's handgun, the policeman said.The other officer shot Hirschfield once in the upper body, Franke said.

Paramedics met the Harbor Police boat at the Embarcadero and declared Hirschfield dead, he said.

The injured officer was taken to Sharp Hospital with face and leg injuries, he said.

San Diego Police, Harbor Police and investigators with the San Diego County District Attorney's Office will investigate the officer-involved shooting.

An autopsy on Hirschfield's remains will probably take place Monday, an investigator with the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office said.

**Second Chance** · 07-21-08, 08:40 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shoestring View Post
Just from what was in the article 100% JUSTIFIED!

+2

**CTR man** · 07-21-08, 08:44 AM

Well that sucks, it won't let me scroll over to edit those ads out. They weren't there when I submitted them. Heres what I meant to post. I hope this is better.

Because he is an idiot fueled by alcohol and or drugs?

I just heard about this on Clip Syndicate that is posted on the front page of O/R. They are waiting for toxicology reports to come back. It seems that these yacht parties are known for their free flowing alcohol.

Maybe he realized he had demons in him and wanted to get the gay beat out of him?

http://www.10news.com/news/16935570/detail.html

Police Shoot, Kill Man After Pulling Him From Harbor

Man Attacked Officer With Taser, Police Say

UPDATED: 10:30 pm PDT July 20, 2008

SAN DIEGO -- A man from Los Angeles was shot dead by San Diego Harbor Police after they plucked him out of San Diego Bay and he reportedly fought with officers and tried to grab an officer's pistol, authorities said.

An autopsy will be conducted Monday on 37-year-old Steven Paul Hirschfield, who was rescued by the police officers he then allegedly attacked in the bay, about a miles west of the downtown Embacadero area.

Harbor Police Lt. Ken Franke said a charter boat in the bay reported a man overboard about 11:10 p.m. Saturday, and Harbor Police officers in a boat fished Hirschfield out of the bay about 500 feet south of the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station on North Harbor Drive.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that the cruise boat was a "gay pride day" excursion.

Once aboard the police boat, Hirschfield fought with the two officers, Franke said.

The rescued man knocked one officer to the deck, injuring him, then took his Taser stun gun and hit him in the face with it, Franke said.

Hirschfield then tried to take the officer's handgun, the policeman said.The other officer shot Hirschfield once in the upper body, Franke said.

Paramedics met the Harbor Police boat at the Embarcadero and declared Hirschfield dead, he said.

The injured officer was taken to Sharp Hospital with face and leg injuries, he said.

San Diego Police, Harbor Police and investigators with the San Diego County District Attorney's Office will investigate the officer-involved shooting.

An autopsy on Hirschfield's remains will probably take place Monday, an investigator with the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office said.

**Just KC** · 07-21-08, 11:10 AM

WTH??
Good riddance!

**Willowdared** · 07-21-08, 12:03 PM

He was apparently part of the hired entertainment, and refused to be rescued by the crew from the cruise ship.

About 11:10 p.m., the cruise ship called Harbor Police with a report of a man overboard, said Harbor Police Sgt. David Fouser. Unger said Hornblower launched a small rescue boat to help Hirschfield.

“He refused,” Unger said. “He didn't want anybody near him.”
Hornblower crew members threw flotation devices to Hirschfield and stayed near him until Harbor Police arrived, Unger said.

A police boat found Hirschfield in the water about 500 feet south of the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station on Harbor Drive across from Lindbergh Field. The water is about 40 feet deep in that part of the bay, authorities said.