Police Rule Shooting of Motorist Justified

The Simi Valley Police Department announced Thursday that the fatal shooting of a man who led authorities on a three-county chase earlier this week was justified.

Police also released the names of the officers involved in the shooting of Stephen Bayer, 39, of Apple Valley.

“Results of those investigations determined that the involved officers fired their weapons in compliance with all applicable laws and within the established policies of the Simi Valley Police Department,” Police Chief Randy G. Adams said in a statement.

Bayer’s family could not be reached for comment late Thursday but his father, Sidney Bayer, said earlier this week that he was angry with police for killing his son.

Bayer fled from police late Sunday and took them on a three-county chase, which ended in Simi Valley after police threw down a spike strip that flattened the tires of Bayer’s beige Mercedes.

What followed was a nearly four-hour standoff on a quiet neighborhood street, during which Bayer remained in the car with a gun pointed at his head. Police ultimately tossed tear gas into the car. Bayer emerged, pointed a gun at officers, and was shot and killed.

The officers involved with the shooting are Det. John Parks, 34, who has been with the department for 10 years and joined the SWAT team in 1990; Det. Bill Daniels, 34, who has worked as a Simi Valley police officer since 1988 and a SWAT team member since 1994, and K-9 Officer Sterling Johnson, 54, who joined the department in 1981 and the SWAT team in 1994.