What to Know
- With heavy hearts Manhattan Beach is preparing to mark the 25th anniversary of their first officer shot and killed in the line of duty.
- Ganz was killed during a traffic stop as his nephew was in the car for a ride along on Dec. 27, 1993.
- Roger Brady was sentenced to death in the killing and is still on death row.
With heavy hearts Manhattan Beach is preparing to mark the 25th anniversary of their first officer shot and killed in the line of duty, Officer Martin Ganz, and the officer who first came upon the scene that day was also one of his best friends.
The killing affected not only the police department but all of Manhattan Beach. Ganz was killed during a traffic stop as his nephew was in the car for a ride along on Dec. 27, 1993.
Ganz was shot multiple times by a driver who got out of the car, followed the officer, and finished him with a shot to the head, then pointing the gun at Ganz' nephew before deciding to leave. Sgt. Tim Zins, then 23, responded not realizing what had happened until he pulled into the parking lot at Manhattan Village.
"I very much remember driving into the mall, seeing Martin's police car with its lights on and then seeing Martin down on the ground behind the car," Zins said.
Police believe the killer shot Ganz before he was going to rob a supermarket. The killer was tracked down in Beaverton, Oregon where he killed a woman who saw him rob a grocery store.
Roger Brady was sentenced to death and is still on death row. There are multiple memorials to Ganz throughout the city. Next thursday will be the 25th anniversary of Ganz's killing. Zins hopes a lot of people will come and join Ganz's family for a remembrance at the Joslyn Center.
