"I thought he had a firearm at that time," Officer William Jones told the jury, referring to the mentally disturbed man who was assaulting customers with a bike lock.

The high-profile civil trial in the death of a 14–year-old girl at a North Hollywood Burlington store continued Monday as the Los Angeles police officer in the center of the legal battle took the stand.

The suspect was charged with assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm, as he allegedly fired a CO2-style handgun at the victim.