The California Department of Justice has released a report concerning the officer-involved shooting of Marcos Maldonado in Los Angeles on July 27, 2022. This release follows Assembly Bill 1506, which mandates investigations into such incidents. The officers involved were from the Los Angeles Police Department.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated that the report is part of ongoing efforts to ensure transparency and accountability in law enforcement practices. After a thorough investigation, the Department of Justice concluded that criminal charges are not appropriate in this case.
“The loss of life is always heartbreaking,” said Attorney General Bonta. “We recognize the considerable challenges and difficulties faced by all those impacted, including Mr. Maldonado’s family, the law enforcement agencies involved, and the community at large. The California Department of Justice is dedicated to collaborating with all law enforcement entities to maintain a legal system that is fair, transparent, and accountable to every Californian.”
On the day of the incident, LAPD officers responded to reports of a man with a gun walking down the street. They identified Marcos Maldonado holding what appeared to be a gun and ordered him to drop it. When he pointed it at them after failing to comply with their orders, they fired their weapons, resulting in his death. It was later determined that Maldonado was holding a replica airsoft handgun.
Under AB 1506 guidelines for investigating officer-involved shootings resulting in civilian deaths when unarmed individuals are involved, DOJ found insufficient evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt that officers acted without intent for self-defense or defense against imminent risk posed by perceived threats.
As part of its investigation findings released alongside recommendations aimed at preventing similar future incidents include:
1) Amendments regarding communication policies among LAPD personnel about contextual information impacting decision-making during use-of-force situations.
2) Evaluation related scene control protocols especially concerning perimeter management around potential threat areas ensuring safety both civilians present as well responding authorities themselves.
3) Updates aligned existing force application standards under Government Code section 7286 separate specific circumstances surrounding this particular event but still relevant overall policy framework improvements needed within department-wide practices generally speaking moving forward long-term basis accordingly.
The full report detailing these findings along with associated policy suggestions available public access online via official channels provided directly through department's website resources accordingly too.