A Malibu resident and two Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station deputies received official commendations from Malibu City Council at the Monday, April 26, council meeting for their heroism in preventing a possible mass shooting at Zuma Beach on Sunday, April 11.
Just over two weeks ago, a man in a trench coat began harassing local woman Danette Eilenberg at Zuma Beach, attempting to get her into his van. Eilenberg called the police; sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene, coaxed the man out of his van and disarmed him.
The man was later revealed to be 34-year-old Kyle Kiddy of Riverside County. He had been carrying a loaded rifle and several hundred rounds of ammunition under his trench coat and had loaded handguns in his vehicle.
Kiddy is currently in custody; his bail is set at $60,000 and his next court date is in one month, Lieutenant Jim Braden told council. Braden said Kiddy was undergoing psychiatric review at Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown Los Angeles.
According to Braden, the LA County District Attorney’s Office filed all four charges on Kiddy, which included charges of carrying concealed weapons, carrying a loaded weapon and carrying loaded weapons in his vehicle.
Council and Braden praised Eilenberg for her actions, which alerted deputies to Kiddy’s presence and provided them valuable intel about his location.
“Most people would not have called the sheriff. Nobody, other than Danette, did call the sheriff. So we have a huge debt of gratitude to Danette,” Council Member Bruce Silverstein said.
Council Member Karen Farrer echoed Silverstein, saying she got chills simply thinking about the situation. “I think a lot of people would have just been freaked out about it and gotten away as quickly as possible. Thank you for making that call,” she told Eilenberg, whom Farrer mentioned she had known for a long time.
The council and Braden also commended the first responders, highlighting Deputy Murphy for convincing the reluctant Kiddy to exit the vehicle and Deputy Regan for providing cover and protection.