Pubdate: Thu, 11 Jan 2001
Source: Record, The (CA)
Copyright: 2001 The Record
Contact:  P.O. Box 900, Stockton, CA 95201
Fax: (209) 547-8186
Website: http://www.recordnet.com/
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1373/a03.html

MODESTO POLICE CALL SHOOTING MYSTERY

The September police-shooting death of an 11-year-old boy in Modesto during 
a drug raid was an accident, but exactly how it happened is unknown, the 
Modesto Police Department said Wednesday.

The announcement came after three separate investigations -- two by the 
Police Department and one by the city attorney's office, Detective Doug 
Ridenour said.

Alberto Sepulveda was shot in the back by veteran SWAT team member David 
Hawn during a federal drug raid.

Ridenour said there were three possibilities: One is that the weapon 
malfunctioned, which Ridenour said is unlikely. Another is that a piece of 
equipment struck the trigger. The third is that Hawn pulled the trigger 
accidentally.

Hawn is back on the job after being put on paid leave after the shooting, 
which is routine in such incidents, Ridenour said. The year before the 
shooting, Hawn was cleared of wrongdoing in another incident in which his 
gun misfired and shot a person who had already killed himself during a SWAT 
raid.

Two other separate investigations, one by the state Department of Justice 
and one by the Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office, also are being 
conducted.

In a separate press conference Wednesday, family members of the dead boy 
vowed to file a civil lawsuit against the Police Department.
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