Commanding Officer Is 'Less Than Satisfied' With Police Response To Fatal Marine Shooting
SAN CLEMENTE (CBS) — Camp Pendleton's commanding officer said he was "less than satisfied'' with the official response to the fatal deputy-involved shooting of a U.S. Marine at San Clemente High School.
In a statement released Thursday, Col. Nicholas Marano described Sgt. Manny Levi Loggins Jr. as a "loved and respected Marine.''
"We have received an unprecedented amount of emails and phone calls this past week from current and former Marines who knew and loved Sgt. Loggins,'' Marano said. "A family has lost their father, husband, brother and son. An unborn child will never know her father. While I am confident they will do the right thing in the end, I am less than satisfied with the official response from the city of San Clemente and Orange County. Many of the statements made concerning Manny Loggins' character over the past few days are incorrect and deeply hurtful to an already grieving family,'' said Marano.
Loggins was fatally shot by an on-duty Orange County sheriff's deputy about 4:45 a.m. Feb. 7, after crashing a GMC Yukon through a gate in the parking lot of San Clemente High School with his 14- and 9-year-old daughters in the back seat, according to the sheriff's department.
On Tuesday, a representative of the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs described Loggins' actions as irrational and odd.
"It is heartbreaking that Manuel Loggins created a situation that put his children in danger and ultimately cost him his life,'' said Tom Dominguez, president of the deputies' union.
Dominguez' statements echoed ones made earlier in the week by the sheriff's department.
"Due to (Loggins') irrational behavior and his failure to obey any commands, (the deputy) was concerned for the safety of the children,'' said OCSD spokesman Jim Amormino. "He was concerned that if he let Mr. Loggins drive off displaying that irrational behavior then the kids were in danger.''
The Orange County District Attorney's Office is heading the investigation into the deputy-involved shooting as a matter of routine.
