Family of man killed by police at Huntington Beach sports complex taking legal action

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- An attorney representing the family of a 29-year-old man killed by Huntington Beach police officers said Saturday he is planning to take legal action over the use of deadly force.

Steven Schiltz was shot and killed by police Thursday night after several people reported a man was acting violently at the Huntington Beach Sports Complex.

Authorities said Schiltz was armed with a bat and a broken bottle as he chased children and adults around the baseball and soccer fields at the busy complex.

Witnesses said Schiltz ran into bleachers where parents were seated. When officers arrived, he was shot after refusing to obey their orders.

Michael Giusti, an attorney representing Schiltz's mother, said Schiltz had gone to the complex that night to play baseball. He claims the family has been given little information about his death, and they're questioning the decision to shoot Shiltz.

"The police did show up. It does sound like he had a bat, but you wouldn't normally kill somebody because they're threatening somebody with a bat. That's probably not the procedure that we want law enforcement to use, especially when there are so many shootings in Orange County," Giusti said.

According to the attorney, Schiltz was known to be good-natured, leaving the family shocked by what happened at the complex.

The attorney added that he plans to file a claim against the city of Huntington Beach for wrongful death and civil rights violations.