Julian Alexander came out to see what the commotion was all about Tuesday morning, and was shot. He had some kind of stick in his hand, and the officer fired two shots at Alexander. Now both the family and the police department are searching for answers into what led to Tuesday morning's deadly shooting.
"I just love him so much," said Julian's widow, Rene Alexander. "I'm so sorry that this happened. He was a good person."
A young grieving widow and mother-to-be distraught over the loss of her young husband, 20-year-old Julian Alexander. It was about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday when Alexander heard commotion just outside the window of his home.
"You know what he was doing? He was protecting his property, and he was protecting his neighbors. And this is what happens," said Julian Alexander's stepfather, Alfred Bell.
"My son is an individual that anyone who has ever met him has said to me, 'He is such a nice boy'," said Julian's mother, Cheryl Bell.
Anaheim Police Chief John Welter met with about 30 members of Alexander's family Tuesday afternoon at a news conference. While not coming out and saying it was the department's fault, Chief Welter wanted Alexander's family to know that the 20-year-old, in the department's eyes, was an innocent bystander in this incident.
"It turns out the man who was shot, Julian Alexander, was innocent of anything the officer suspected was going on in that neighborhood. And the family wanted me to make sure that I said to the media he was not a suspect in any particular crime," said Anaheim Police Chief John Welter.
The Anaheim Police Department, the Office of Independent Review and the Orange County District Attorney's Office have already begun investigations into Tuesday morning's shooting. It will be up to the D.A.'s office to determine if this shooting was justified.
The officer involved is 32 years old and a 10-year veteran of the department, and he's been placed on administrative leave.
Julian Alexander turned 20 on October 18. He was married the next day. His new wife is expecting their first child, a girl, a week before Christmas.
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