Christian Drye: California man shot dead by police in 'cold-blooded murder' was a father-of-5
HEMET, CALIFORNIA: The family of a Hemet, California, man who was shot and killed by police in his home while authorities searched a neighboring backyard is devastated. They allege it was a "cold-blooded murder". The officer involved has been placed on leave, according to police.
The victim, Christian Drye, was a 30-year-old father-of-five who was married for 10 years, his family told NBCLA. On Tuesday, February 21, at approximately 10.09 am, Hemet Police Department Officers were conducting a follow-up investigation in the 800 block of South Harvard Street in the city of Hemet regarding a recent theft as per Helmet police's news release.
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After shooting Dyre, police realized he was unrelated to theft case
It added, "While searching the backyard of the South Harvard Street residence, officers encountered an armed male in an adjacent backyard. This male was later discovered to be unrelated to the initial investigation and was identified to be a resident of the neighboring home."Dyre was taken to the hospital where he died.
"The involved officer has been placed on administrative leave per department policy. The name of the involved officer will not be released at this time,” Hemet police said. Shemeka, wife of Christian Drye, told the outlet that prior to the shooting, police knocked on their door, asking to search their backyard, as they believed a theft suspect may be present. Christian Drye, however, refused and told police he would check his yard with his legally purchased firearm, the outlet reported. Shameka said the police allowed him to go check the backyard and gave Drye zero warning. Shameka said that’s when her husband was shot three times. Police, in a news release, said that Drye was shot only once.
'They killed my husband in cold blood'
“They knew he was going back there because they said ‘OK,’” Shameka Drye told The Press-Enterprise. “They killed my husband in cold blood.” "This man was a king. He was kind-hearted and would help anyone if you asked him," Shaneka wrote on Facebook. She added, "He loved his children very much and would buy them the world if he could. Please help me make this go viral."
'Dyre worked 2 jobs to ensure his kids were taken care of'
Christian Drye leaves behind five children aged 1 to 11. As per a GoFundMe page set up for funeral and lawyer fees by Shemeka to ensure justice. "Dyre worked two jobs to ensure his kids were taken care of." It also mentions that "Christian Drye was murdered by Hemet PD."