State prosecutors cleared a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy who fatally shot an unarmed mentally ill man two years ago at Valencia Mall According to the California Department of Justice Press release.
Even if the state determines that there is not enough evidence to prove the alleged agent Lorena Gonzalez 27 pages report A series of policy recommendations were provided on Wednesday’s Sheriff’s Department about the killing of Christopher Mercurio on January 11, 2023.
Some of the recommended improvements, such as expanding downgrade policies and training representatives to better identify people with mental health conditions – reflecting the problems of families that the murdered person raises in one person Filed a lawsuit late last year.
Christian Contreras, one of the attorneys of the Mercurio family, lamented the state’s decision in an emailed statement to the Times.
“Christopher Mercurio was tragically killed without arming, rather than an imminent threat, but just trying to find a place to sleep at night and fired,” Contreras wrote. “The Mercurio family is disappointed with the Justice Department’s determination but expects their civil rights lawsuit against Los Angeles County.”
The Sheriff’s Department did not immediately comment and the county has not responded to the federal court’s lawsuit.
The shooting happened when Gonzalez responded to the hacking call at Macy’s in downtown Valencia.
According to the Justice Department, when Gonzalez arrived at the mall and approached Merio, he refused to leave and hit his deputy in the head.
“Mercurio continued to move towards Gonzalez’s deputy, ignoring the order to take a step back,” the Justice Department wrote in a press release. “Short after that, the agent fired two shots at Mr. Merrio and fatally injured him.”
The family’s lawsuit has left the attorney failing to lower the blame for the situation and blamed the department for allowing her to respond alone, rather than sending a mental health assessment team, even as Mercurio made confusing comments about Iran and China and described herself as “the security of the entire country.”
Gonzalez was unable to reach it, and it is not clear whether she has a lawyer.
