Family of Man Killed by Off-Duty Officer Questions Shooting

The family of a man who was shot and killed by an off-duty police officer mourned their loss Wednesday, even as they demanded answers to questions about the fatal confrontation.

Christopher Oliver, 27, was shot to death by LAPD Sgt. Steve Ulrich, a 13-year department veteran, after an allegedly-drunken Oliver drove a vehicle toward the officer on a quiet street in Woodland Hills.

LAPD spokesmen said Ulrich fired in self-defense.

Both men lived within a half-block of the shooting site. Oliver allegedly had driven his truck erratically up the street, hitting six parked cars late Sunday night.

Rick Carden, Oliver’s uncle, said he believed that an axle on the truck may have broken, making it more difficult for Oliver to drive the vehicle.

“If the vehicle can’t move, he can’t go anywhere,” Carden said. “Maybe the engine was revving and the officer thought he was going to floor it. Chris put himself in a bad situation, but this got way worse.”

Police declined to comment on the new allegations, although they reiterated the belief that Ulrich acted in self-defense. LAPD spokesman Lt. Horace Frank said an internal investigation has begun along with an investigation by the county district attorney’s office.

Police wouldn’t talk specifically about Ulrich’s involvement in the shooting, but said that officers are trained to stop any threat.

“If an officer shoots out the tires there is no guarantee that will stop the vehicle,” Frank said. “Lethal force is always the last resort.”

Grieving family members gathered at Oliver’s house in Woodland Hills on Wednesday and tried to comprehend what happened. While friends and family didn’t excuse Oliver’s actions, they said it should not have resulted in his death.

“We’re not saying Chris was totally innocent, but this went too far,” said Gary Beaird Jr., Oliver’s cousin. “This officer tried to be a neighborhood hero.”

Ulrich hasn’t returned to work in the Los Angeles Police Department’s ombudsman office, where he has been assigned for the past year. He couldn’t be reached for comment.

Family and friends described Oliver as a doting father whose life revolved around his 8-year-old son. He bought the boy a miniature motorcycle when the boy was only 4 and liked to bring him to film shoots, where he worked as a grip.

The boy’s mother, Jo Ellen Fricione, said Oliver recently flew from Sacramento after working all night to watch his son’s Little League game the next morning. After the game ended, he flew right back to Sacramento.

“His whole life was spent around his son,” she said. “He was the kind of dad every kid wants.”

Family members said Oliver tended to shy away from confrontations, and may have panicked after smashing into the parked cars. They said Oliver had gone to the store shortly before the shooting and were unsure if he had been drinking, as police allege.