Garden Grove police officer fatally shoots 16-year-old in altercation with 3 teens
The suspect a Garden Grove police officer shot and killed in an altercation was a 16-year-old boy from Santa Ana, police said Thursday.
The boy allegedly stabbed and grabbed the officer, who shot the boy in response, during the Wednesday night incident involving three 16-year-olds, police said. The officer was expected to make a full recovery.
Police said that a follow-up investigation found that the three had robbed a 41-year-old woman of her cell phone and some personal items before being confronted by officers. Investigators seized more cell phones and a knife from the suspects’ vehicle.
The plainclothes officers had approached three occupants of a car about 9:30 p.m. near Garden Grove Boulevard and Galway Street, and officers reported that one occupant grabbed and stabbed an officer, who then fired.
The boy died before he could be taken to a hospital. He had prior arrests for auto theft, burglary and assault, according to police.
The other teenagers, a boy and a girl, were booked into the Orange County Juvenile Hall on charges of robbery.
The driver of the car is a boy from Westminster on formal probation for robbery, auto theft and vandalism, police said. The girl, from either Garden Grove or Cerritos, was arrested on suspicion of criminal obstruction, alcohol-related offenses and probation violations.
Authorities have not released the names of the teenagers nor of the robbery victim.
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EDITOR'S PICKS:
@jack dawson
Only when the 16-year-old STABS YOU & TRIES TO TAKE YOUR GUN!!
Posted by: Verballistic | January 28, 2011 at 06:29 PM
R.I.P Joao Palma... none of these ignorant people rite here posting comments knows what happened and what you've been through. They only take the Police's and medias side of the story, not yours. We can't judge you only god can, and he will. You will be missed. Rest In Paradise Joao Palma.
Posted by: R.I.P Joao | January 28, 2011 at 09:17 PM
Jaoa didn't stab the officer? the officer was stabbed by the back passenger and the back passenger was shot. Now i'm no genious but if the person who was shot was the one who stabbed the officer and was also the back passenger and Jaoa was the back passenger then ummm yeah that makes him the one who did the stabbing. The guy had a long criminal history at 16. Oh wait let me guess he was just about to turn his life around, go to college and begin counseling at the YMCA give me a break. I'm sure all the thugs will miss him they lost a crime partner. RIP JAOA rest in hell
Posted by: lol12345 | January 28, 2011 at 11:22 PM
These are hoodlums who terrorize our community. I knew of an elderly man in the neighborhood who got stabbed by a punk thug like this one just because he wouldn't give a cigarette to the punk. He was too afraid to go to the police to report the crime. This story should be required reading in all high schools and let it be a lesson for those who think they can get their ways with violence behavior.
Posted by: Tim Chuong | January 28, 2011 at 11:48 PM
These are hoodlums who terrorize our community. I knew of an elderly man in the neighborhood who got stabbed by a punk thug like this one just because he wouldn't give a cigarette to the punk. He was too afraid to go to the police to report the crime. This story should be required reading in all high schools and let it be a lesson for those who think they can get their ways with violence behavior.
Posted by: Tim Chuong | January 28, 2011 at 11:49 PM
Jack Dawson: Yeah, very sad that "we're killing our 16 year olds now.".
Can you read? "The boy died before he could be taken to a hospital. He had prior arrests for auto theft, burglary and assault, according to police."
Oh, and he stabbed the cop.
Posted by: Olden Atwoody | January 29, 2011 at 07:08 AM
It's not just the children of "illegal offspring" that commit crimes. I work in Orange County and 95% of the time the people who cause most of the problems (in the under 25 bracket) are Caucasian. I have encountered some kids who think they are tough and can do whatever they want because they have no respect for authority. However, for someone to make an ignorant comment regarding race/ethnicity is just downright embarrassing -- for them. People of all races commit crimes and these three kids were on a path of destruction. Maybe this will be a lesson to the others kids involved. Seeing your friend get shot over a stolen cell phone isn’t worth it. I’m not sure what his parenting situation was but there are lots of parents (of all ethnicities) who don’t spend enough time with their kids. People, please inform yourself before sharing your ignorance.
Posted by: pixie | January 29, 2011 at 08:47 AM
The policeman should be fired immediately! (For not fatally capping the other three scumbags!)
Bad, bad, Mr. Policeman!
Posted by: Jim Q. Citizen | January 29, 2011 at 09:19 AM
he was just a kid
Posted by: Christina Hernandez | January 29, 2011 at 01:50 PM
Look everyone who wrote those rude comments. Get a life!! I knew Joao from my childhood. From the time that I knew him he had no criminal record and was a good child. It shouldn't matter whether he is illegal or not. To those who said that are people who are ridiculous and should look back to there history they are illgel to in some sort of way. I can't believe people are so disrecptful. One day you will receive your punisment for what you have said and god will be the one who makes this justice. hopefully this doesn't happen to anyone of you because you to or one day will have kids and your kids will have kids. Justice will be made maybe nit by mankind but by god. There is always two side to every story.
Posted by: None of your business | January 29, 2011 at 09:20 PM
None of your business
doesn't seem like you knew this fool at all, OBVIOUSLY he was a hardened criminal already, God only knows how many other crimes he committed that he didn't get caught for
Posted by: u know | January 30, 2011 at 01:04 PM
To all of you who are being so cold blooded people, please don't speak with out knowing. Yes he had a history but don't judge with out knowing the rest. They are still human beings. You don't know what drove these kids to turn this way. Have some respect for the family. I know for a fact that the parents of this teenager tried hard to make a better life for them. Unfortunately, things don't always go as planned. I pray for the victim, and the victims family whom are suffering. He did wrong, and payed for it with his life. Just have some respect for the family.
Posted by: well | January 31, 2011 at 03:39 PM
It doesnt matter where he was born or that he was 16. You're going to have racist idiots and naive people commenting here, unfortunately. He was a terrorist who got put down before he could terrorize anyone else. I agree that parents can do all the right things and kids can still go astray but all you losers that support trash like this are nothing but the same....
Posted by: John | January 31, 2011 at 04:03 PM
Hurt Teenagers? Are you seriously saying the officer didnt show his badge? Which article did you read that said he didn't? I believe the article states that the officer did make proper identification. Oh wait let me guess there are two sides to every story. Let's believe the one of the robbery suspects. It will be interesting to see how many people they robbed. I'm sure it will be found that this poor lady was only one victim of many, but at least she was the last
Posted by: lol12345 | January 31, 2011 at 04:14 PM
To u know: I did know him and I did know about his criminal record. That still doesn't mean he deserved this. There are other people who do worse things and nothing is done about that. I feel bad for the victim and hope she is getting better. However I don't think that makes him a terrorist like John said. All of you are rude and ignorant and have no heart. Can't you guys just let him rest in peace. His family doesn't need all you heart less people saying these comments. You are no one to judge only good is. Hopefully god can forgive all of u for what you guys have said. So just leave him ALONE.
Posted by: None of your business | February 01, 2011 at 04:41 PM
None of your business
bottom line is that he will no longer be robbing people and committing crimes in our community, that may have been alright with you since you think he was such an outstanding individual but to me and the rest of society he was just another thug who got what he deserved
the world is a better place now
Posted by: u know | February 02, 2011 at 05:15 AM
You people are so gullible!!!! A 16yr old trying to stab a police officer SMFH. Y'all know the police probably fabricated that story. Corrupted Justice System smh
Posted by: yep | February 02, 2011 at 03:16 PM
If EVERYONE carried a gun and knew how to use it there would be more dead criminals and less crime. The cop deserves a medal and some paid time off.
Posted by: Bangbang | February 02, 2011 at 03:19 PM
To u know sorry for the previous comment:
I don't think that he was an outstanding individual. Never did I say that . I know that what he did was wrong but he still didn't deserve that. There are other people who do worse things and don't get punished for it. Also you are no one to be saying that he's a thug and got what he deserved. One day god will make justice for what you have said and hopefully you will take back your words before god commits his justice. Remember we are no one to judge, he is the only one who can judge us and at the end we will be paying what we have done with him. Don't wish for others what you wouldn't want to happen to you. All I'm pleading you is to leave his memory to rest. You wouldnt want people saying these kind of rude comments if he or she was part of your family. Remember that there is still more generations to come and what we fear or desire for others it can happen to someone close to use just by saying those words. People who freak out of what other peoples kids do don't realize that there kids are doing other things that are worse but don't realize it because they are to busy with other peoples businesses. All I have to say is to find it in your hearts and let him rest. God bless you and save you from your sins.
Posted by: Rest Joao | February 02, 2011 at 11:00 PM
I think the cop did fabricate that story and are trying to cause terror in the other kids who were involved and are telling them to convict themeselves guilty for the cause of Joao death. Something sounds fishy there to me. Also why arent they letting the mother see her dead child. I would like see see those wounds that the cop who was stab has. No matter what the true will always come out. And if the cop is lying he will pay when god comes.
Posted by: Rest Joao | February 03, 2011 at 10:29 AM
Your faith in your God is commendable, but we have laws and police because God doesn't act fast enough. I'm sorry you lost a friend, but dire actions require dire consequences. Your friend tried to kill someone, and got killed instead. Race and age are irrelevant here. You make up your mind to commit a crime, you better be prepared for you and your family to take the consequences. I sympathize with the grieving family, but the only person to blame here is the criminal.
Posted by: Malice Aforethought | February 04, 2011 at 10:02 AM
Thank you for you sinpathy. But I dnt think we should point out fingers here because we r no one to jugde. And at the end although his law doesn't take action fast enough. God law is what matters the most. Because in the end he's going to our judge not man kind law. However we still have to live a civil life. I think how ever this action happen whether the cop is saying a false testimony or not or whether the young man stabbed the cop or not, the truth will come out and mankind punishment is nothing to what his punishment will be. Like I always say the truth will always come out sooner or later, just have faith it will. All I pray for is for god to save his soul because we all make mistakes.
Posted by: Rest Joao | February 06, 2011 at 12:46 AM