Manhattan Beach Mourns Officer Killed 25 Years Ago

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA – Manhattan Beach is preparing to mourn an officer gunned down at a traffic stop as his nephew was in the car for a ride along in 1993. Officer Martin Lane Ganz "paid the ultimate sacrifice and gave his life in the line of duty on December 27, 1993," the MBPD press release said.

Ganz was shot multiple times by a driver who got out of the car, followed him, and eventually killed him with a shot to the head, NBC reported. The shooter then pointed the gun at Ganz' nephew before fleeing the scene.

Sgt. Tim Zins, who was 23-years-old at the time, responded to the call but didn't realize what happened until he pulled into the Manhattan Village parking lot, he told the news station.

"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 told NBC.

The police department will be holding a 25th anniversary remembrance ceremony for Ganz. This is an opportunity to honor and pay tribute to the fallen officer.

The ceremony will be on Thursday, December 27, 2018 from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the Joslyn Community Center located at 1601 N. Valley Drive in Manhattan Beach.

Image courtesy of the Manhattan Beach Police Department