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A shooting that took place Sunday afternoon in Long Beach took the life of 35-year-old Douglas Zerby, a man who appeared intoxicated and as if he were holding a weapon to police who ultimate shot and killed the man, according to CBS2. Zerby was actually holding a "black pistol-grip water nozzle," which a 9-1-1 caller mistakenly identified as a gun. An apartment resident had contacted authorities when Zerby was spotted sitting outside.
Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell spoke today about the fatal shooting, explaining that his officers "believed the man had a gun and were awaiting the arrival of backup when the man pointed the object in a two-handed posture that looked like what a person would do when they are about to fire a weapon."
This morning on the live broadcast of the KTLA morning news, Zerby's father appeared on camera near the scene lamenting the fatal mistake of the authorities, and asserting that his son, though likely intoxicated, was not a violent person and did not own a gun.