Out Of Control Oakland Cops Kill Man In His Sleep

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Oakland police shot and killed a man in his bedroom early Sunday after what their attorney described as a struggle during which the man allegedly grabbed at an officer's gun.

Neighbors and relatives of Terrence Mearis, 20, said the shooting was unprovoked. They said Mearis was asleep in a second-story apartment when two officers arrived.

Officers Ryan Gill, 25, and Richard Vass, 27, are part of a crime-reduction team that targets violent crime or drug suspects.

Early Sunday, the officers went to an apartment building where a previous homicide and drive-by shooting had taken place, police said. After detaining two men, they went inside Mearis' apartment and found him asleep.

Fearing Mearis was hiding a weapon, the officers tried to subdue him, but he resisted and tried to grab Gill's gun, police attorney Harry Stern said. The officers fired about five shots, including one that hit Mearis in the head.

Gill and Vass have been placed on paid administrative leave while Oakland Police and Alameda County prosecutors investigate.

Neighbors have set up a makeshift memorial with candles, balloons and signs. Tanya Mearis, the dead man's aunt, said he attended Castlemont High and was taking adult education classes.

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/6948282.htm