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Subscribe to RSSGunfire erupted during the hunt for former LAPD officer Christopher Dorner, who was charged with murder on Monday. The unfolding drama brought officers to a cabin in the mountains where the suspect was barricaded inside. NBC's Miguel Almaguer reports.
Apart from a rambling manifesto, court filings and the word of former bosses, clues remain scarce as to what was going on in the mind of Christopher Dorner, the former LAPD cop accused of killing four people and engaging cops in a deadly standoff at a mountain cabin.
What does emerge is the profile of an ex-LAPD officer and former Navy reservist who may have allowed years of grievances to fester before erupting into violence.
Southern Utah University confirmed that Dorner was a 2001 graduate of the school, where he majored in political science, minored in psychology and played football. He was a lieutenant in the Navy Reserves from 2002 until the week he went on his alleged killing spree, earning awards for his rifle and pistol marksmanship.
Charred human remains found in cabin
Dorner served in the LAPD from 2005 to 2009 before being fired -- allegedly for making false statements after accusing an officer of beating up a man in training.
It was Dorner’s four-year-old spat with the LAPD that appears to have been foremost in the suspect’s mind as he took off on his rage-fueled flight.
His first two victims, police say, were 28-year-old Monica Quan and her fiancé Keith Lawrence, 27, killed Feb. 3 in Irvine, Calif., as they parked their car on their way to a Super Bowl party.
Quan’s father, retired police chief Randal Quan, represented Dorner during an internal police department review of the case that got him fired.
“I never had the opportunity to have a family of my own, I’m terminating yours,” Dorner wrote in an 11,400-word manifesto that he allegedly posted on Facebook.
In the Feb. 4 manifesto, supplied by the Los Angeles Police Department to the media, the 6-foot, 270-pound Dorner wrote that killing was “a necessary evil.” Dorner also allegedly threatened other law enforcement officers and their families.
“Self Preservation is no longer important to me,” wrote Dorner, 33. “I do not fear death as I died long ago on 1/2/09.”
On Thursday, police said, Dorner killed an officer and wounded two more in shootings.
“Four years ago he received his discharge papers, if you will, his dismissal papers on Feb. 9, 2009,” former L.A. police chief William Bratton, who was Dorner’s boss from 2002 until he was dismissed, said on Saturday. “A day of significance in his mind that inasmuch as his grievances all seem to center on his dismissal.”
“He collects injustices and never lets them go, and evidently they finally reached a tipping point that led to the series of violent acts the last several days,” Bratton said. “The last thing that he would want would be to be arrested by the LAPD and do a perp walk. That would be the last injustice, the most significant one.”
"The attacks will stop when the department states the truth about my innocence, PUBLICLY!!!" Dorner wrote in his manifesto.
On Saturday, LAPD officials said that the department would take another look at how Dorner's case was handled.
The details that emerged about Dorner only became stranger as the hunt intensified. The LAPD said Tuesday that they were going through as many as a thousand tips on where the suspect may have been.
Police search mountains for Christopher Dorner, release new image
The Associated Press reported that 2006 court papers showed that, after dating a woman for six weeks, he had requested a restraining order against her. Dorner said the girlfriend had posted his LAPD badge number on a website called dontdatehimgirl.com, according to the AP.
A video posted on the celebrity gossip website TMZ appeared to show Dorner purchasing scuba gear on Feb. 1 at Sport Chalet in Torrance, Calif. Police said Tuesday that they were not certain whether or not that man was Dorner.
The possibility that Dorner might have fled to Mexico arose in a criminal complaint filed in Feb. 7 in California’s Central District Court. Early that morning, a San Diego boat captain said, Dorner had tried to steal his boat to flee south across the border, according to the complaint.
Dorner’s wallet and identification cards were found near the border with Mexico, according to the complaint.
Then came the dramatic scene in the mountains near Big Bear Lake on Tuesday afternoon.
Sheriff’s deputies responding to a report that someone matching Dorner’s description had stolen a car exchanged gunfire with the man, according to police. Two deputies were shot, and one later died.
The suspect then was trapped in a cabin, which later erupted in flames and burned to the ground. Officials on Tuesday night were waiting to enter the charred cabin to search for any signs of a body.
NBC News' Tracy Connor, Daniel Arkin, Kari Huus and Andrew Mach, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This story was originally published on Tue Feb 12, 2013 7:40 PM EST
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This whole thing is really weird something just seems off. It makes me wonder if this guy was setup and wrongly fired. He was educated highly trained and for him to just lose it and be that angry , I dont know, I hope they do an independent investigation and find out all the facts.
if obozo had a son he would look like dorner
Just read the manifesto. Yeah, um, soooooo....I didn't see anything in the manifesto that justifies killing 4 people to ignite "change" in the community. Okay, he had it hard. He got shafted by the system...WELCOME TO THE CLUB!!! He sounded a little narcissistic to me, quite frankly. He says he is a good man, but good men don't target and kill people in the street, and write manifestos on Facebook, calling other people and groups @-holes. Just saying...~ACW
Not to justify but he had the means motive Resources and training.
What Dorner's problem was? (According to his manifesto) He tried to be a hero. When he saw that victim being attacked, he should have done what the majority of people in this discussion would have done; shut his eyes/ears and think about his next paycheck.
CBS said Dorner carried a Barrett .50 cal. Carrying around a .50 cal with ammo is quite challenging. Firing a .50 cal is challenging too. I'm not sure if any of this is true. I can't see a crazy guy carrying a .50 cal for tactical purposes but I suppose it could happen. The guy is likely dead. But he could be in the forest waiting to strike. This is exactly the thing that Rambo did. Rambo waited until the heat was off and then wiped out a small town. Better watch out small towns in California. Let's hope the dude is dead.
Here is the question that must be answered. Do you feel there may had been a bias in the decision of the State employed judge Yafee knowing that he received over $700,000.00 from the County of Los Angeles. Do you feel that the RETRO ACTIVE IMMUNITY FROM PROSECUTION that the judges received for the illegal payments restored due process to the courts? SBX211
Do you feel that Chis Dorner received a fair and unbiased decision from judge Yafee.
CCP section 170.1 (a)(6)(A)(iii) A judge shall be disqualified if any of the following are true... A person aware of the facts might reasonably entertain a doubt that the judge would be able to be impartial.
Did judge Yafee at the very least inform Dorner of the L.A. County payments? Code of judicial ethics prohibits judges from engaging in any business dealing with anyone that may appear in front of him in court.
Now this MUST BE ANSWERED.
It's just like how my dad told me the 50's used to be like. Corrupt judge followed up with a bomb fire. Uppity @!$%# got what he deserved huh??????
What a bunch of nonsense. All the county judges in my state are paid by the county.
What about the other court that shot down his appeal?
You need to bark up a different tree.
I have a few tears in my eyes because I feel sorry for his Mother and Sister who lost a son and a brother. The Wives and children of the Cops he killed. The Father who lost his daughter, and the Father who lost his son. Sorry because he did not find someone who loved him. I think it was mean of the woman who posted messages about him on donotdatehimgirl website.
I think we need to do a better job to treat each other better, and be more tolerant of one another.
Too bad his training officer did not listen to him when he requested more training and wept from what I read. Instead he was given a deficient and bad review.
I have notice a trend of gun violence has increased but think of WHy one would think that THe extended war have taken ther toll on returning soldiers, The bad economy with people lossing forturnes and Homes and the fat cats getting Bonuses SEE Something Wrong Here that Would add to the stress in life...
He did it his way and stood tall momentarily.
Sounds like another Waco situtation Where tear gas was used to start a fire and burm him alive after his gun fell silent. if i read the article correctly.
Tear gas when bured produces hydrogen cyanide He was died a terrible death before he was burned. That should comfort some that were the living of his victims.
brad, I don't think it is any comfort to any decent person to think that someone was deliberately burned alive. And it certainly does not comfort me to remember the early report that "someone was trying to flee through the back door and a policeman pushed him back inside"...rather than thanking him into custody. There really should be an investigation here.
This is the LAPD. There will be no investigation.....unless the FBI gets involved.
The FBI was there and involved in the operation.
Well, one less piece of pond scum on the planet, let's keep thinning the herd folks, next month will bring more out of the sewer if we don't!
He used his alleged expert marksmanship on his Own Fat Head How could he miss that Wrecking Ball.
Looks like he didn't have a very well thought out plan even though they mention he
Hopefully he is dead and good riddance.
In regards to the cabin fire...
First reports were that law enforcement shot a tear gas canister into the cabin, heard a single shot, and then fire erupted.
Today, there is no mention of the tear gas. This in combination with the shooting of 2 innocent women delivering newspapers is a little troubling.
In regards to the reward...
1 million reward for information leading to the arrest. Do you think L.A. would set a reward that high if they were looking for YOUR daughter's murderer?
I'm not defending Dorner, but seems the L.A.P.D. may have been a lilttle over zealous.
"He was a lieutenant in the Navy Reserves from 2002 until the week he went on his alleged killing spree, earning awards for his rifle and pistol marksmanship."
Really NBC, really???
Had to re-read that myself...
Good to know that he was able to earn marksmanship awards based on his ability to murder.
NBC may want to hire a new editor.
I hope they didn't shoot another 71 year Old Lady and her daughter.
Cop on Cop. Makes one wonder what kind of a Department L.A. P.D. is runnimg.
Sad...
Prior Service Commissioned Military Officer pushed to the Edge by someone. What a welcome to civilian life. Support the Troops???
Even Sadder...
This guy was a nut case and committed a horrible act. but what i find strange is no one ever reported why he went on his rampage yes we know he was fired but did these guy wow where behind firing him justified or not ??? I guess we will soon find out
it will make a good action movie some day Taken place in Cal. but filmed someone else because it's too dang expensive to film their anymore
Many of the LAPD problems stem from its decision to eliminate hiring standards as a relic of a racist past. Because whites always and everywhere have scored higher than blacks on police entrance exams (and on all tests that measure cognitive ability), such tests were eliminated in Los Angeles and elsewhere in order to facilitate the entry of more blacks into the police force. Unfortunately, such tests were an accurate prediction of employee performance. The predictable result of lowering or eliminating hiring standards was that more bad people -- of all races, including whites -- got hired as police officers. To all but the fanatically obtuse, it's clear that a person as unfit as Dorner should never have worn a badge.
It's also clear that you can't take seriously the words that come out of the mouth of a person as out of touch with reality as Dorner. But fanatics have rushed to take his killing spree as evidence of racism within the LAPD. In fact, it is the reverse racism of the LAPD's hiring policy, which discriminates against better qualified candidates for the sin of having white sin, that is responsible for someone like Dorner having become a police officer in the first place.
Bigot alert!!
The police set the cabin on fire
Policemen were heard saying, burn it down.
Policemen shot Incendiary devices in the cabin.
Could they have surrounded the cabin and wait out? Of course.
Could it have been better if he was caught alive? Well, not to the police. Dead men don't talk.
Could the charred remains be identified? It depends on if the police want to say that it's Dorner or hide the fact that it's not Dorner to escape prosecution. We'll never know the truth.
Cite your sources ref "Policemen were heard saying burn
it down". Police shot CS canisters into the building which are not
incendiary devices. Again everything the
police agencies did in this case were and are under a microscope so if there
are any improprieties, they will come out.
RenderUSA
Don't you listen to the news? It was on CNN.
I heard the radio transmission and yes they used burners
which is a cs agent that can cause fires. From what I heard they were trying to
get him to come out. They assumed he had a mask so cs agents won’t have any
effect on him. They couldn't let the fire trucks in because ammo was going off
inside. Also, they spotted an RPG device in one of the rooms which made it
imperative to either kill him or force him to surrender immediately.
Being retired from a large law enforcement agency I can tell
you that there is no conspiracy to shut up Donner. LAPD has been and is under a
microscope constantly so if his report of brutality was true, or if he just
misinterpreted what happened he would still have a job there. If they found
that he lied, there was probable some serious evidence to back up the
allegation. It is very telling that he tried to put two restraining orders out
on ex-girlfriends and both were dismissed by the courts immediately. Also, he
had several courses of action to take after being dismissed: he could have
filed a lawsuit against the LAPD, which would bring his grievances into the
sunshine, and he could have gone to the press which would have had the same
effect. He didn't do either which indicates he had no case to support his
allegations. I read his manifesto as well and several of his grievances were
petty and if his allegations of a conspiracy by LAPD officials had any merit,
they would have been reported on and resolved a long time ago.
All people have to go on currently are the allegations he
made in his manifesto. Until the transcripts of the complaint investigation he
initiated against the other officer and the complaint investigation and
subsequent administrative appeal he made are made public, which they will be,
you just have his twisted side of the story. I am certain some of his
ex-girlfriends will be found and interviewed as well.
Donner ambushed and killed two innocent civilians, he then
ambushed and killed one LAPD officer and injured another who were protecting
one of his targets. He also shot and killed one deputy and severely injured
another at Big Bear Lake. His actions nullified any credibility he had by those
atrocious actions.
Life is unfair. There are gripes and unfulfilled
opportunities in any profession and personal relationships. He displayed a
severe lack of ability to cope with rejection.
You do realize that people are going to say that you are just another corrupt law officer protecting the LAPD?
I'm not really concerned about it. I am not from California.
The last time I was there was 35 years ago while I was in the Marines. I wasn't
impressed.
RIP my brother.
wonder how his cabin caught fire and the firemen were prevented from going in? Now the LAPD's "findings" into the review of the case will, of course, show that the firing procedures were fair and just. What I know for a fact is this, if you make waves in the Department - you're an outcast, and if you're an outcast - it won't be long before your charged with something and your gone. Just saying! Anytime someone goes wild like that, he's got a reason.
Careful.....the scumsuckers from the ACLU plan to sue San Bernadino County and LA County on behalf of Dorner's relatives (2nd cousin) saying they violated his civil rights.
Well, I guess that won't be a problem if the LAPD has nothing to hide but I guess by now the shredder may get some exercise. LMAO
this is just a small sample of what is to come...... there are alot of guns out here & people are NOT going to give them up. combine that with people getting fed up with the corupt system & you have WW3 on american soil, far bigger than any dem/rep debate. none of this is political. its all spritual. Keep kicking GOD out !
We will never know the truth. Only a heavily edited so called manifesto. We know LAPD is not corrupt right?
Jesus...You're a freak!!!!!!! but if there's some kicking to be done, where's the line. Always wanted to kick
"it" for all the crap he's allowing.