Are we looking at the future in Port Orange Florida? -- Discussion for those who have been harassed by CMF

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Date Posted: 12:47:15 09/01/01 Sat
Author: Taking notice
Subject: Are we looking at the future in Port Orange Florida?

Man Involved in Shootout With Authorities Had Worried Neighbors

Published: Sep 1, 2001

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (AP) - Some neighbors described him as social and generally nice. Others said he had an attitude and bragged about a career in law enforcement that didn't exist.

But records show that James Beck, the man believed to have fatally shot a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy Friday, had been in trouble with the law before.

Beck was presumed to have died when his home went up in flames during the shootout in this affluent city 22 miles north of Los Angeles. His body had not been recovered by Saturday morning and authorities resumed searching the wreckage.

"Unfortunately it's just very slow and dirty work. They're having to hand-sift all the debris," said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lt. Carl Deeley.

Officials still weren't sure Saturday if the blaze was started by Beck, who they said fired about 150 rounds at them, or by the tear gas projectiles they fired inside.

"I thought it was fireworks," said Debra Frye, 42, who lives six houses away. "It started and then it would stop, and then it started again."

It wasn't the first time Beck, 35, had tangled with the law.

Police records show he had numerous convictions for burglary and impersonating a police officer, among other things. He also was suspected of being a felon in possession of firearms and of impersonating a deputy U.S. Marshal.

It was the firearms suspicions that brought Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents and federal marshals to the home Beck's parents had purchased for him.

Authorities said Beck answered his door about 8:30 a.m. Friday but stormed back inside after a few words from officers. Witnesses said he began shooting when they shouted for him to come out and tried to break down the door.

Deputy Hagop "Jake" Kuredjian, 40, a 17-year veteran of the department, was fatally wounded. Authorities said an ATF agent may have broken his hand trying to rescue Kuredjian.

Several residents of the upscale neighborhood said Beck often socialized with them but never at his own home. They often saw him walking a German shepherd, and he told at least one neighbor he trained police dogs.

"He seemed like a pretty friendly guy, but I always thought something was a little different about him," Frye said.

Beck did have a brief law enforcement background. He joined the police department in Arcadia, a suburb of 50,000 just east of Los Angeles, in 1987. He was fired 13 months later after repeatedly clashing with his colleagues.

Frye said Beck always had dramatic stories to tell of police work, but neighbors were never sure what to believe.

"It was kind of strange because he never seemed to have a uniform on or anything," said Teri Cerino, who lives across the street. "Some of us kind of suspected there were problems with him."

As Beck barricaded himself inside the house Friday, his girlfriend fled to safety and was taken into custody as a material witness.

Authorities evacuated about 100 people from the neighborhood as well as some 1,200 students from a nearby elementary school. Neighbors said the shooting started so suddenly they only had time to take cover behind parked cars.

The standoff had been going for more than three hours when police shot tear gas projectiles through the windows. Flames soon erupted, and the house burned to the ground.

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Yeah, somebody needs to lock-up CMF before it's too late (NT) -- Scurred, 20:26:34 09/01/01 Sat