Family blames off-duty officer

Two days after an off-duty Costa Mesa police officer shot and killed one man and wounded another in Temecula, authorities are saying little about their investigation but the family of the man killed in the fracas has offered its own version of what led to his death.

“What gives that man the right to pull out his gun in public? When children are present?” said Karen Crowley, whose son, Shaun Vilan, was killed Saturday night. He was 30 years old. “I’m just so tired of this story getting twisted.”

Riverside County sheriff’s investigators continue to interview witnesses about what happened outside The Bank of Mexican Food restaurant at Main and Old Town Front streets in Temecula Saturday night.

Vilan’s group and the officer exchanged words inside the restaurant and the dispute eventually ended up outside, according to police. From there, police still can’t say what happened and decline to speculate.

“That would be slanting the story, and we don’t do that,” said Investigator Jerry Franchville.

Vilan was convicted of two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and inflicting great bodily injury in 1996, according to court records.

Since his release, he had straightened out his life, Crowley said. He was coaching his 7-year-old son Dillan’s football and baseball teams.

“There was no way he’d ever put his son’s life in jeopardy,” she said.

Vilan’s family paints a picture of an off-duty officer drunk and out of control. They said the officer waited outside with friends for Vilan and his friends. The second shooting victim, 22-year-old Taylor Willis, remains hospitalized, Vilan’s family said.

When they went outside things took a turn for the worse.

“The guy [officer] was slurring his words, other people dove and tackled him after the shooting started,” said Lewis Brooks, Vilan’s brother who was there that night. Vilan’s son, Dillan, his girlfriend, Dara Lewenthal, and his second brother, Michael Brooks, were also there.

The group enjoys the annual Temecula Rod Run, a hot-rod car show that Lewis Brooks had entered his car in.

Riverside County prosecutors are monitoring the sheriff department investigation, Franchville said. That is routine in officer-involved shootings. Costa Mesa police officials said they do not often reveal officer’s identities during investigations.

“Right now there’s too much speculation and it’s still under investigation,” said Costa Mesa Police Chief Chris Shawkey. The officer suffered head injuries and is recovering at home, officials said. He is on paid administrative leave for an undetermined amount of time, Shawkey said.

Vilan’s family will have a candlelight vigil outside the restaurant at 6:30 tonight.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at [email protected].