Off-duty officer killed nonverbal man at Costco

Costco shooting: Off-duty officer killed nonverbal man with intellectual disability

The man killed by an off-duty police officer in a Costco store in Corona on Friday was nonverbal and had an intellectual disability.

Kenneth French, 32, of Riverside, was described by his cousin Rick Shureih as a "gentle giant" who rarely spoke, according to a report by the Press-Enterprise.

"He (had) to be pretty much monitored," Shureih said. "He's not the kind to trade words, so I don't believe that a verbal confrontation happened."

Shureih also said the two injured victims were French's parents, Russell and Paola French. Both remain in intensive care.

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Shureih said the family is planning to hire a lawyer and is seeking the name of the off-duty police officer, surveillance video and witness accounts to understand what happened.

Just before 8 p.m. on Friday at the Costco located at 480 N. McKinley St., an off-duty Los Angeles Police Department officer was shopping with his family when he was allegedly attacked by French as he held his child.

The officer responded by shooting and killing French and wounding French's parents.

The child was uninjured. The off-duty police officer suffered minor injuries, said LAPD Officer Greg Kraft.

"The officer's gun was the only weapon involved in the incident, contrary to earlier reports," said Corona Police Officer Tobias Kouroubacalis. "As is standard procedure in such investigations, the Corona Police Department is working closely with the Riverside County District Attorney's Office, who will be evaluating the facts and circumstances of this incident."

Police continue to investigate the incident.