Claim Filed Over Death in Newport Beach : Shooting: Parents dispute finding that their son killed himself after he gunned down an officer. They seek $10 million.

NEWPORT BEACH —  A man who police said fatally shot a Newport Beach police officer before killing himself suffered four bullet wounds--two to the head and two to his left wrist, according to a coroner’s report and family members who filed a $10-million claim against the city.

The parents of Carlos Caicedo, 24, accuse the Police Department of “unlawfully, negligently and wrongfully” shooting and killing their son, causing them emotional distress, mental and physical pain and insomnia, according to the claim filed earlier this month.

Caicedo was lying on top of Officer Robert Henry in a church parking lot when other officers found them March 12. Henry, 30, went into a coma and died about a month later.

Caicedo’s parents contend that their son did not commit suicide and that he was shot by someone else.

“The police version [of the shooting] is so unbelievable,” said Caicedo’s mother, Mary Caicedo. “They said that he committed suicide, but how can someone who kills himself shoot himself four times, including two [bullets] in the head?”

Police confirmed that a coroner’s autopsy report showed that Caicedo had suffered multiple gunshots wounds, but they said they were inflicted by Caicedo.

“Caicedo shot Henry, and then committed suicide. That is our conclusion,” Sgt. Andy Gonis said Thursday.

The two shots to Caicedo’s wrist were fired accidentally from his own gun during the confrontation, said Christopher Evans, Orange County supervising district attorney in charge of the investigation.

“One shot [above the right ear lobe] had been a grazing shot during his effort to kill himself,” Evans said. “After he tried and failed with the grazing shot, he retrieved Officer Henry’s gun and finished himself off.

“The bottom line is Officer Henry did not fire any of the shots,” Evans said.

Police Chief Bob McDonell called Carlos and Mary Caicedo’s claim absurd.

“It makes us sick,” he said.

Henry’s father, Bill Henry, said the complaint was ludicrous and declined further comment.

Detectives said they found a suicide note, written in Spanish, on a night stand at Caicedo’s home. Further investigation revealed that the man had been despondent over a custody battle involving his 4-year-old son, and that he had been drinking before the shooting, authorities said.

The Caicedos dispute that there was a suicide note. They said the letter seized by investigators is actually a poem written by Caicedo to express love for his family.

Richard Gutierrez, the family’s attorney, said the parents just want answers, which they are not getting from investigators.