What to Know
- The victim, Christian Drye, was a 30-year-old father of five who was married for 10 years, his family told NBCLA.
- His wife Shameka says she has hired an attorney, and family has started a social media protest called #JusticeForChrisD.
- Drye leaves behind his wife and five children, ages 11, 9, 7, 5 and 1.
The family of a Hemet man who was shot and killed by police in his backyard while officers searched an adjacent backyard is devastated, as police said the officer involved was placed on leave.
The victim, Christian Drye, was a 30-year-old father of five who was married for 10 years, his family told NBCLA.
Get Southern California news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC LA newsletters.
His wife Shameka says she has hired an attorney, and family has started a social media protest called #JusticeForChrisD.
Hemet Police Department said on Feb. 21, officers went to the 800 block of South Harvard Street to conduct a follow-up investigation.
The news release said officers encountered an armed man, later identified as Drye, in a neighboring backyard as they were searching. He was not involved in the initial investigation.
News
Top news of the day
An officer shot Drye, and after he was taken to a hospital, Drye 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 in a news release.
The family however said this was not the full story.
Shameka told NBCLA that officers knocked on their family door.
She said police officers asked to go into their backyard because they believed someone involved in a theft sneak was there, and Drye said no. He said they were not allowed to enter without a search warrant.
However, Drye told police he had a registered legal firearm under his name and that he would go check.
Shameka said police allowed him to go check, and gave Drye zero warning.
Shameka said that’s when her husband was shot three times.
Police said in a news release that Drye was shot only once.
“As in the case of every officer-involved shooting in the city of Hemet, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office Force Investigation Detail, aided by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, will conduct this investigation. This is an active and ongoing investigation; anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office,” the news release said.
Drye leaves behind his wife and five children, ages 11, 9, 7, 5 and 1.
