Shooting Death at Pride has Police Under Fire

From an earlier report on gayagenda.com, the San Diego county medical examiner released a toxicology and autopsy report on Steven Hirschfield, the victim of a police shooting during last month’s San Diego Gay Pride. The report shows Hirschfield had trace amounts of methamphetamine, ketamine and doxylamine in his blood the night of the shooting.

The report also showed that Hirschfield was shot in the back, with an exit wound in his chest. The original police report stated he was shot in the chest.

Hirschfield’s family contends the discrepancy demonstrates a cover up of an unjustified use of force and have accused the police of anti-gay bias. The coroner’s report listed the shooting as a “homicide.”

Brian Claypool, the attorney representing Hirschfield’s family, has stated the trace levels of drugs in Mr. Hirschfield’s system was a result of using diet pills, cold medicine and from another person “spiking his drink that night. The methamphetamines were in diet pills he was taking.” he said. Ketamine, an animal tranquilizer, has often been used as a date rape drug. Doxylamine is an ingredient in several cold medications, as it is an antihistamine. It has been noted that Steven was taking medicine that night because he was treating a cold.

Mr. Hirschfield’s family has filed a $20 million wrongful death suite against San Diego Harbor Police and the officers involved in the shooting.