In light of the parade of speakers who denounced the Anaheim police last night at last night’s City Council — as if it is the police who are the threat to the safety of residents — I thought it would be useful to re-post this account from the APD blog of how Robert “Lil Clumsy” Moreno, Jr. met his end last week:

Police identified the man who shot the dog as Robert Andrew Moreno, 21, an Orange gang member who was released from prison 10 days ago.

His rap sheet includes auto theft, narcotics violations and assault on a custodial officer, officials said.

He was killed Thursday when officers returned fire.

The action began to unfold about 2 p.m. near the intersection of La Palma Avenue and Citron Street when two probation officers approached three men.

Two fled.

At least one of them fired at the probation officer who chased him – and then the other who had detained the suspect who didn’t flee, police said.

Deputy Chief Julian Harvey said the probation officers were shaken up but otherwise okay.

As one of the suspects fled, he confronted a woman who was unloading groceries with her children, ages eight and 10.

The suspect brandished the gun at the children and threatened to kill them if they called police, Hittesdorf said.

About 3:15 p.m., Bruno joined SWAT officers in searching for the suspect. His handler had him on a roughly 20-foot leash when he gave the signal that the suspect was either inside or behind a black trashcan with a lid.

The suspect opened fire.

Moreno had been out of jail for only 10 days. He was a documented gang member with a history of violent criminal activity. He fled from police. He threatened the lives of an innocent mother and her children. He fired at the police. He was not a nice man, and obviously had no respect for human life or the rights of his fellow citizens. And let’s note that the suspect who did not flee and did not shoot at the police is alive.

And for those who tried to caricature the Anaheim police as uncaring and brutal:

Following the unrest of 2012, the police department instituted a policy where it would visit family members following an officer-involved shooting to answer any questions they can and provide them with information about the process that follows, including the District Attorney’s Office investigation.

Early Friday morning, police a counselor, a District Attorney’s Office investigator and a Coroner’s official met with Moreno’s mother and aunt for about an hour.

Police say they plan to have counselors in the neighborhood where the shooting occurred – and also at two schools that were on lockdown Thursday.