Officer III Brian Ernest Brown
Los Angeles Police Department
Date of Birth: September 3, 1971
Date Appointed: September 5, 1995
End of Watch: November 29, 1998
Los Angeles Police Officer III Brian E. Brown was honored by more than 3,000 Southern California law enforcement officers who attended his memorial service on Friday, Dec. 4, at Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills.
Brown was the victim of a gang shooting on Sunday, Nov. 29, as he and his partner, Francisco Dominguez, chased two gunmen. The gunmen who had just committed a fatal drive-by shooting in Culver City peppered the squad car with assault-weapon fire. Brown, who didn't have time to get out of his car or draw his weapon, was struck in the head.
Brown died at the University of California, Los Angeles, Medical Center shortly after the incident.
"The officers were outmatched by the gunmen who were firing a Ruger mini-14 assault rifle and a semiautomatic attack weapon," Capt. Gary Williams told the press. They were armed with only 9mm and .45-caliber handguns to defend themselves.
One of the gunmen, Oscar Zatarain, 23, of Rancho Cucamonga, was shot and killed at a nearby shopping mall by Dominguez and two other officers.
Chief Bernard Parks stated, "This officer, along with his partner, basically came upon a homicide scene, pursued some suspects that they thought were involved in that scene."
The second gunman commandeered a taxi at a nearby convenience store. After shoving the cabby out of the car, the gunman led police on a five-mile chase to the Los Angeles International Airport, where he rammed several parked cars at Terminal One outside the Southwest Airlines area.
He then bolted from the wrecked cab and ran about 200 yards before he was struck by at least four bullets fired by police. The man, whose name was not released, was stable after surgery at UCLA Medical Center, Chief Parks reported.
Brown, who had been with the department for three years, is the third L.A.P.D. officer to die during 1998. Mayor Richard Riordan said in a statement, "Officer Brown was killed in cold bold by a criminal with no regard for others."
During the service, Brown's son, 7-year-old Dylan, told the audience in a tearful tribute to his father, "I just didn't want him to die." "He was the best. He was one of the most lovable dads and he was a great police officer and I really loved him and I'm going to miss him," Dylan continued. "He really loved me and I really loved him too. I just loved him so much. I just didn't want him to die," he said.
Chief Bernard Parks said, "Dylan is an exact replica of his father. It is clear that his father took time with him. It is clear that Dylan has modeled himself after his father." Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, shook Dylan's hand and praised his father's bravery and told him, "Dylan, all of Los Angeles is proud of your dad."
Other speakers remembered Brown, 27, as a brave Marine and vigilant cop. He had survived sniper firm in Somalia only to be shot to death by a gang member on the streets of Los Angeles.
Memories of an officer who loved his job were shared by his colleagues from the Marine Corps and Los Angeles Police Dept.
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