John DelReal, age 39, was killed on September 26, 2013, in Long Beach, California, during an officer-involved shooting. The incident occurred around 5:15 PM on the 2300 block of 17th Street at Junipero Avenue while a plainclothes Long Beach Police officer was conducting a narcotics investigation. According to the police, DelReal approached the officer in what was perceived as a threatening manner, reaching towards his waistband.
Despite the officer identifying himself and issuing multiple commands, DelReal continued to reach for an object, prompting the officer to open fire. DelReal was later pronounced dead at a hospital. A small metal bat was found in DelReal's waistband, which officers had initially believed to be a potential weapon.
The incident was the third officer-involved shooting in Long Beach within a week, highlighting the rising tensions between law enforcement and the community. Long Beach Police cited multiple community complaints about crime in the area, which had led to increased police presence. Both the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and the Long Beach Police Department conducted investigations into the shooting, as is typical in officer-involved shootings to ensure the actions taken by law enforcement were justified.
This event drew attention to police conduct in Long Beach, where multiple officer-involved shootings occurred during 2013. In response, there were discussions and claims related to excessive use of force, as family members of those killed—including DelReal's—sought accountability through legal channels, highlighting concerns over how these situations were handled by law enforcement.
