GRIEF SPREADS FOR OFFICER SHOT TO DEATH ON DUTY.

Byline: Douglas Haberman Daily News Staff Writer

Across Los Angeles, slain LAPD Officer Brian Brown was mourned Monday as a good cop, a devoted single parent and the city's latest victim of street violence.

Brown, 27, died in a hail of bullets Sunday night while chasing a drive-by shooting suspect who, police said, opened fire with an assault rifle on Brown and his partner, Francisco Dominguez, near the Fox Hills Mall in Culver City.

The suspect, Oscar Zatarain, 23, of Rancho Cucamonga was killed by other officers, and a second suspect was wounded after a chase that ended at Los Angeles International Airport.

The chase started Sunday night while Brown and Dominguez were investigating a drive-by shooting in Culver City that killed one person.

At the Los Angeles Police Department's Pacific Division, where Brown recently was promoted to training officer, Capt. Gary Williams called him ``100 percent cop, very focused on his job.''

``He was absolutely one of the finest officers I've ever seen,'' Williams said.

``He was exceptional. He's just too young to die,'' said LAPD Officer Cynthia Terrazas at the Van Nuys station, where Brown worked earlier. ``He knew his job well. He's what we call locked-on.''

Mayor Richard Riordan ordered flags lowered to half staff in recognition of what he called ``a sad day in the city of Los Angeles.''

``A young brave officer in the prime of his life was senselessly gunned down while doing what he loved: protecting and serving his community,'' Riordan said in written comments.

``Officer Brian Brown was killed in cold blood by a criminal with no regard for others. Fortunately, this hoodlum will never terrorize other innocent people again.''

The county Coroner's Office identified the suspect as Zatarain.

Served in Somalia

Brown, a South Bay resident, earned a Purple Heart in the U.S. Marine Corps while serving in Somalia. The divorced father had custody of his 7-year-old son and also is survived by his mother, father and stepmother.

Brown and Dominguez were driving on Centinela Avenue about 9:30 p.m. Sunday when they heard gunfire.

They saw a man with a rifle getting into the passenger's side of car, which pulled away. With Brown at the wheel, the officers followed the dark-color Honda. Another two-man patrol car joined in the chase.

The Honda soon spun out of control near the intersection of Sepulveda Boulevard and Slauson Avenue.

``The passenger opened fire with an assault rifle'' and Brown, sitting in his stopped patrol car, was hit, said LAPD Cmdr. David Kalish.

Dominguez and the two officers from the other patrol car, Peter McCoy and Jason Thompson, returned fire with their handguns.

They hit Zatarain, who died at the scene, still holding the assault rifle, a Ruger Mini 14 with .223-caliber bullets that police displayed at a news conference Monday to show what the officers were up against.

``It was a hellacious gun battle,'' Kalish said.

The Honda driver then ran toward a convenience store, stole a nearby taxicab and drove off, police said.

With officers in pursuit, he drove to the airport, where the taxi collided with another vehicle by Terminal One at the lower level.

Fled on foot

The suspect fled on foot with several officers chasing him. When he reached the middle of the main airport road, he turned and faced his pursuers, police said.

Police Chief Bernard C. Parks said the officers knew about the earlier gun battle, and they had been warned that the man could be armed and dangerous.

Parks said the suspect was holding something black and made ``several furtive movements.'' The officers fired, striking him several times, Parks said.

The officers later found no weapon on the wounded suspect, only a black glove, said Kalish.

The suspect was taken to UCLA Medical Center, where he was admitted in serious condition.

Parks defended the shooting at the airport, saying the officers ``protected themselves and probably thousands of people at the airport.''

Police are investigating possible gang connections in the drive-by killing, Parks said. Police didn't release the names of the victim of that killing or the wounded suspect.

The department and individual officers will do all possible for Brown's family, said Williams, the Pacific Division commander. ``We have this thing called the LAPD family. There is not a bigger one.''

Williams notified Brown's father and son, Dylon, of Brown's death. The boy was grief-stricken, Williams said. ``He took it hard.''

Dylon had premonitions that his father would be harmed, Williams said. ``He was concerned about his dad being a police officer.''

Fellow officers paid homage to their fallen comrade.

Terrazas, who graduated from the Police Academy with Brown in 1996, described him as an exceptional individual and a leader.

He served as a squad leader at the academy, she said in a voice choking with grief.

``It's an honor to do that,'' she said. ``You have to know your stuff. He definitely had exceptional leadership skills, and he never complained. He just did it.

``I think what I really admired most was he really loved his child,'' Terrazas said tearfully. ``If he had to work graveyard (shift), he would - just to take care of his child'' during hours the boy was awake, she said.

``I'm still in disbelief,'' said Officer Justin Bergmann, who also attended the academy with Brown. ``I considered him a friend. He was a hard worker, dedicated to his job, a dedicated father, very talented. He was very sure of himself, but he also had a very good heart.''

Officer Karolin Knop at the Van Nuys station also knew Brown as an academy classmate.

``He was funny, very funny, just a nice guy,'' she said. ``He was very knowledgeable about the job and very ambitious.''

She said Brown enthusiastically discussed work with classmates whenever he had the chance, but tried never to stint on time with his young son.

``He would always say how much he cared about his son,'' Knop said.

Daily News Staff Writers Lisa Van Proyen, Deborah Sullivan and Rick Orlov contributed to this report.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

PHOTO (1) Chief Bernard C. Parks wears a mourning band on his badge.

(2) Capt. Gary Williams, commander of slain Officer Brian Brown, says Brown's 7-year-old son is devastated.

Gus Ruelas/Daily News

(3 -- color) Brown