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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1-P Public CommentOn October 8, 2016, at 12:53 PM, PSPD Patrol Officers were dispatched to a report of a family disturbance. A parent reported that her adult son, the 26-year-old suspect, was inside of the home causing a disturbance with other family members. Officers arrived at the home, contacted the suspect's parents outside, and approached the front door of the home. While officers spoke to the suspect from outside of the front door, the suspect began shooting at officers from inside of the home. PSPD Officers Lesley Zerebny, Jose "Gil" Vega, and Jeffrey Burton were shot by the suspect. An "11-99 — OFFICER NEEDS HELP" was broadcast to all local law enforcement agencies. Arriving PSPD Officers took additional fire from the suspect. Officer Burton, although wounded, assisted other PSPD Officers with forming an immediate officer rescue plan, engaging the suspect in a firefight, and safely extracting Officers Vega and Zerebny, who were critically wounded. The suspect subsequently barricaded himself inside of the home while officers established a perimeter. The Desert Regional SWAT Team arrived and secured the scene while allied law enforcement personnel arrived and assisted. The scene was ultimately released to the Riverside County Sheriff's Special Enforcement Bureau at the request of PSPD. The suspect was taken into custody by members of the Riverside County Sheriff's Special Enforcement Bureau after a 12-hour stand-off. The suspect was found in possession of body armor, an assault weapon, and numerous high -capacity magazines at the time of his arrest. Tragically, Officer Lesley Zerebny and Officer Jose "Gil" Vega were fatally wounded by the suspect's gunfire. Officer Jeffrey Burton recovered from his injuries and returned to work a few weeks after the incident. Officer Vega had served with the Palms Springs Police Department for 34 years. He was a Community Service Officer from 1982-1984 and a Police Officer from 1984-2016. He also served as a Reserve Police Officer for the City of Indio from 1979-1982, for a combined total of 37 years in law enforcement. He was scheduled to retire only two months after his murder and he was working an overtime shift on the day of the incident. He is survived by his wife, a daughter who was 8 years old on the date of the incident and seven adult children. Officer Zerebny pursued her desire to have a law enforcement career and was hired by the Palm Springs Police Department as a Police Officer Trainee in July 2014. She attended the Riverside County Sheriff's Academy and upon her graduation from the police academy, she was promoted to Police Officer on January 15, 2015. Officer Zerebny's assignments include patrol and while on light duty during her pregnancy she served in the Investigations Division. Although her career was brief, she excelled in all aspects of police work. At the time of her murder, she had just recently returned to her patrol assignment after having been on maternity leave. She is survived by her husband, a daughter who was only 5 months old at the time of the incident, and her parents and siblings. RECEIVED z( SEP # 2021 PLANNING SERVICES nppA 17TAfi !NIT el 13 V 12.ort ►�m�e-�- ITEM NO. " Michael Angelo Hernandez My love of art started in elementary school when my teachers noticed this special gift whenever I got paper, a pencil, or paint in my hands. As I entered Indio High School, my love of art developed as I was exposed to more art classes. I was fortunate to receive art scholarships that helped me continue my education. I began working at the California Sculpture Center making molds, three dimensional sculptures, paper and working with bronze. While I was there 1 apprenticed side by side with international artists. I then began working with a non-profit program in Indian Wells, teaching children art with a hands-on approach by painting murals in Mecca and Coachella. On several occasions I had the opportunity to travel to Europe to study specialized art techniques. When I returned to the desert, I worked at a prestigious art gallery where I was inspired by some of the best artists in the world. Currently I am teaching children at the Boys and Girls Club of Indio the basics of art and how to frame their artwork for an exhibit. This is my passion and I hope to inspire many children in the years to come. Influenced by the Renaissance frescos of Italy I have found a style to express strong feelings and emotions using a unique application that makes use of raw materials such as sealer pigments. This special technique is used to achieve an Old World look because these products have been proven to withstand both time and the elements of nature. 4.0 1 RECEIVED SEP 21 2021 PLANNING SERVICES Ol RECEIVE® SEP 21 2021 P� ,�:i`!f•?II` G SERVICES 1-1f6 MAA