Orange Police Kill Man Who Wielded Toy Pistol

Orange police fatally shot a man after he reportedly pointed a gun at a group of children and later refused to drop what turned out to be a plastic toy pistol, officials said Saturday.

Michael David Roehl, 38, of San Francisco was shot several times in the parking lot of a gas station at Walnut Avenue and Glassell Street shortly after 9 p.m. Friday, police said.

“We have no idea what he was doing here,” Police Capt. Art Romo said.

An autopsy was completed Saturday morning, but the results of tests to determine whether drugs or alcohol were involved will not be known for at least four weeks, Romo said.

According to witnesses and police, Roehl threatened some children playing on the sidewalk in front of Hassan’s restaurant on Glassell Street.

“This guy points a gun at the kids and says, ‘Don’t move,’ ” said restaurant owner Mahmoud Haidar, 46. Haidar said he told one of his waiters to call 911.

Police said two officers confronted Roehl at the gas station. They reportedly shouted for him to show his hands, but he refused. When the officers saw what they believed was a handgun, they fired. Police described the toy as a realistic plastic replica of a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun.