It was the department’s third officer-involved shooting in two weeks, and it had a whole area of the city closed to vehicle traffic–from 10th to 14th streets and from Newport to Freeman avenues. Police, fire and SWAT units were on-scene, and a law enforcement helicopter kept circling until early afternoon.

Turns out the three suspects involved still haven’t been charged.

Why? Simple: two of the suspects–35-year-old Michael Bourgeois and 29-year-old Marcus Toles, both of Los Angeles–were being held in lieu of $35,000 bail. And they made bail, according to Long Beach Police Sgt. Dina Zapalski. This gives police more time to file charges with the District Attorney’s office, Zapalski said, than if the two men remained in custody.

The third man, 30-year-old Gardena resident Tavaron Mitchell, was on parole for another offense–and because of this, authorities again have more time in which to file charges. Normally, if you’re arrested and there’s no extenuating circumstances, you must be arraigned within 48 hours of your arrest.

Zapalski said she expects charges against the three men to be filed by Monday.

It’s proving to be a low-key denouement to a morning of high drama on the East Long Beach border, which began at 6:15 a.m. Saturday when Long Beach police responded to a silent alarm at Nix Check Cashing. When officers arrived on-scene, they allegedly encountered the men, Zapalski said.

“They were trying to break into one of the businesses, and where they were trying to [break in], it could lead to the other businesses,” Zapalski said.

Nix Check Cashing is one of several businesses with different addresses which share a common building, at the southeast corner of Anaheim Street and Obispo Avenue.

Officers opened fire, striking Toles and Mitchell multiple times in the upper torso, Zapalski said, noting that one of the men–she wasn’t sure who–was also shot once in the leg. The day was still quiet enough that some early-morning golfers at the Recreation Park Golf Course reported hearing the shots.

All three men were arrested on suspicion of commercial burglary.

Toles and Mitchell were last reported in stable condition at a local hospital and are expected to recover, Zapalski said.

All three suspects are ex-felons, and because Long Beach police recovered a handgun at the scene, the suspects may face additional charges, Zapalski said. People who have been convicted of a felony are no longer allowed to vote–or to possess firearms.

A Nix Check Cashing employee told The District Weekly that the business stayed closed Saturday, but reopened Sunday.

Tags: California, east long beach, Long Beach, Long Beach Police Sgt. Dina Zapalski, Marcus Toles, Michael Bourgeois, Nix Check Cashing, officer-involved shooting, Southern California, Tavaron Mitchell, The District Weekly, Theo Douglas

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Batts and Dogs Living together 4 months ago 1 point
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Why are they taking so long to file charges? They were breaking in so file !
Oh oops we shot you guys. Theo the officers responding were they on the job more than 6 months?
I wonder if the PoPo's have a Bag O' unregistered Guns in their trunk. Oh..oh.. here's a gun.

1. Beanbag lady's death
2. Shockner ( knock knock-who's there-cops let us in the back so you can get stabbed. )
3. Missing shotguns
4. lobster-gate
5. Ferguson ( home invasion )
6. unarmed Roketi Mosesue shooting
7. Check cashing shooting.
8. Laura Richardson-Batts

Nice judgement and Batts wants more cops? Why do we keep him employed?

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Theo Douglas 4 months ago 1 point
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Batts and Dogs, thanks for the comment.

As far as I'm aware right now, there's nothing sinister at work here. The law gives authorities more time--and they're taking more time.

That said, as I reported in yesterday's item, Long Beach Police Sgt. Dina Zapalski told me yesterday that charges should be filed by Monday.

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howardx 4 months ago 1 point
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theo,
your story doesnt give a reason WHY the cops opened fire on the suspects. maybe i missed something in the original story.

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Roy 4 months ago 1 point
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Well, the helicopter, which did not belong to the lbpd, that circled overhead belonged to the Los Angeles County Sheriff..........Now, maybe the the officers would not have to have gone on the roof it the lbpd did not cut it's helicopter program.....the pd is in horrible shape right now

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Theo Douglas 4 months ago 1 point
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Coupla things. First, thanks to Roy for clarification on that helicopter.

Second, Howard, what I wrote about the shots fired in this incident is essentially what I was told by Long Beach Police Sgt. Dina Zapalsky.

Because the incident was still under investigation when I spoke to her yesterday, Zapalsky said certain details are not being released--such as why the officers involved opened fire on the suspects.

A handgun was recovered at the scene. Were officers in fact fired upon themselves? Zapalski said she couldn't say because the incident was still under investigation.

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Batts and Dogs Living together 4 months ago 1 point
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The Public Information Department ( not very public and not much information ) was very quick to say that unarmed Roketi Mosesue grabbed the baton and allegedly attacked the officers. Only took a couple of days I think. And I'm sure its still under " investigation. "

Roy, I agree the Helicopter program is very important not only to Long Beach but to its surrounding cities and Ports it supports as well.

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howardx 4 months ago 1 point
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thanks!

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TowDude 3 months ago 1 point
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Theo, why does everybody think that the bad guy has to shoot first before the good guy can return fire. I challenge any bleeding heart to stand face to face to a bad guy pointing a gun at them, or look like they're getting ready to point a gun, and wait to be shot at before returning fire. A split second of delay could cost you your life. The cops are always the bad guys......until you need one.

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Theo Douglas 3 months ago 1 point
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TowDude, you're right, and I'm not sure why we all think that--but we do, probably thanks to too many episodes of "T.J. Hooker" (if there is such a thing as too many episodes of "T.J. Hooker").

I think if we all had to experience what police officers go through every day, we'd be the better for it.

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Roy 3 months ago 1 point
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I think we need some fresh/new idea's in the pd. I think our officers are great but being directed in the wrong direction. Kind of like when your pitcher is not having a good day, pull him and go to the bullpen.

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Batts and Dogs Living together 3 months ago 1 point
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If they did something to make them fear for their lives than the PIO's should say that. How does that information impede the investigation?

Roy I agree call the bullpen but hopefully Deputy Chief Luna doesn't answer. I hear he's not a good pitcher

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