Man remembered for more than his last day

Andrew Edwards

Steve Hills loved to play sports and spend time with his family. He

was a Christian, a Raiders fan and helpful at work. His family and

friends want him to be remembered for what he did in all his 44

years, not the day he died.

“Steve was an awesome, incredible person and I’m kind of making it

my mission to let people know what a great guy he was,” said Cathy

Dewitt, Hills’ sister.

More than 100 of Hills’ family members and friends gathered at

Central Baptist Church on Saturday to pay their respects to Hills,

who was fatally shot by police on July 3 at the end of an incident

officers called a “suicide by cop.”

Police this week released the names of the nine officers involved

in the shooting: Sgt. Guy Dove, Officer William Murphy, Officer Doug

Martin, Officer Mark VanMeter, Officer Greg Reese, Officer Jerry

Abrahams, Officer John Baggs, Officer Brad Smiley and Officer Jayson

Lewis. The men are all back on duty, Huntington Beach Sgt. Dave

Bunetta said. After the shooting, they were placed on three days of

paid administrative leave and were in contact with the department’s

psychologist and trauma support team.

Police said Hills called 911 on July 3 and told the operator he

would kill himself or a police officer. When police arrived, he

pulled out a replica handgun and aimed at police. Family members

shared memories of happier times at a memorial on Saturday.

In a eulogy for her brother, Dewitt said Hills was her confidant,

chaperon, hero and friend.

“He was everything to me,” she said.