LAPD looking into officer’s actions in Costco shooting

The Los Angeles Police Department is gathering evidence in the investigation of an off-duty officer who shot and killed a man inside a Costco in Southern California on Friday, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The officer opened fire after Kenneth French, 32, reportedly assaulted him inside the Corona, Calif., store in an allegedly unprovoked attack, the Corona Police Department said in a release.

The officer, whose name hasn’t been released, was reportedly holding his young child while shopping  with his family when he was assaulted, police said.

{mosads}He killed French and shot both of French’s parents, Russell and Paola French, who are in critical condition, according to The Associated Press.

The officer was the only person who fired shots, police said. The LAPD allows off-duty officers to carry a concealed weapon if they’re authorized to use them on duty, the Times reports.

Kenneth French was nonverbal and had an intellectual disability, his cousin, Rick Shureih, told the Times.

“He was a gentle giant,” Shureih said. “He’s never been violent in the past. He’s always been very cooperative and kept to himself.”

Authorities initially suspected the shooting stemmed from an argument, but Shureih disputes the claim, saying that Kenneth French was “not the kind to trade words, so I don’t believe that a verbal confrontation happened.”

As the LAPD continues to gather evidence and video footage, the Corona Police Department and the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office are working together to investigate the shooting, police said.

It is unclear if the officer has been put on leave in light of the investigation.