Death by Cop 2021-2025
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Guillermo "Memo" Amezcua
Age :48
Gender :Male
Race : Latino/a/e
Date : 04/10/2021
Location : 400 block Harps Street
City : San Fernando
County : Los Angeles
State : California
Agency : San Fernando Police Department
Officer(s) :
Cause of Death : Gunshot
Event : Killed by police during response to shots fired call
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 04/10/2021, at approximately 11:00 p.m., San Fernando Police Department officers responded to a 911 call reporting gunfire in the alley behind the 600 block of S. Brand Boulevard. Witnesses described the suspect as a heavyset male adult leaving the area in an older model minivan.
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At around 11:01 p.m., officers located a vehicle matching this description on Harps Street near Fourth Street, with Guillermo "Memo" Amezcua, 48, seated in the driver’s seat. Officers issued multiple commands over approximately five minutes for Amezcua to show his hands. Police alleged that Amezcua was uncooperative and observed manipulating an unknown object.
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To gain compliance, an officer deployed three less-lethal stun bags aimed at the rear window area of the vehicle, but these attempts were unsuccessful. At approximately 11:06 p.m., police reported observing a muzzle flash consistent with a gunshot from inside the vehicle. Officers opened fire, fatally striking Amezcua, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
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The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department investigated the officer-involved shooting. According to an autopsy report dated 04/14/2021, Amezcua sustained five gunshot wounds, with three being fatal. The report also documented tattoos on Amezcua, including "Memo" and "Jennifer Marie" on his neck and "Guillermo Amezcua Jr." on his left shoulder.
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Family members have disputed the police's account of the incident. Guillermo Amezcua Jr., the deceased’s eldest son, claimed that officers did not give his father a chance to respond and began shooting from multiple angles. The family has called for justice and further investigation into the circumstances of Amezcua's death.
SOURCE LINKS :
• https://sanfernandosun.com/2021/04/14/family-disputes-sfpd-version-of-shooting-death-of-their-father/
• https://sanfernandosun.com/2021/09/01/five-shots-three-fatal-killed-resident-in-april-police-shooting-in-san-fernando-according-to-autopsy-report/
• https://ci.san-fernando.ca.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Press-Release-Officer-Involved-Shooting-Update-5-21-21R-2.0.pdf
• https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/man-killed-in-shootout-with-san-fernando-police/2570714/
• https://sanfernandosun.com/2021/10/06/national-night-out-becomes-backdrop-for-protestors/
• https://abc7.com/officer-involved-shooting-san-fernando-police-deadly-fourth-street/10507327/
• https://mynewsla.com/crime/2021/04/11/man-killed-during-shooting-involving-police-officers-in-san-fernando/

Lauren Nicole Archibeque
Age :38
Gender :Female
Race : White
Date : 04/02/2021
Location : 2800 block of Golden Avenue
City : Long Beach
County : Los Angeles
State : California
Agency : Long Beach Police Department
Officer(s) : Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Gunshot
Event : Killed by police during armed confrontation following 911 call reporting a man in distress
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On April 2, 2021, at approximately 5:15 a.m., Long Beach Police Department officers responded to a 911 call reporting a man who appeared to have had a heart attack and a woman threatening suicide at a residence in the 2800 block of Golden Avenue. Upon arrival, officers observed a large amount of blood inside the residence and were immediately confronted by 38-year-old Lauren Nicole Archibeque, who was armed with a rifle. Officers quickly exited the residence, set up a perimeter, and attempted to de-escalate the situation by making repeated attempts to communicate with Archibeque, urging her to surrender. She did not respond.
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After some time, Archibeque emerged at the doorway of the residence, and officers observed her pointing the rifle at them. At that point, three officers discharged their firearms, fatally wounding her. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Upon re-entering the residence, officers discovered a 49-year-old man on a bedroom floor with a serious laceration to his neck. He was also pronounced dead at the scene. The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office later determined that the man's death was a suicide.
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Investigation:
The Long Beach Police Department is conducting a full and thorough multi-level review of the incident, and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is conducting an independent investigation, as is standard protocol for officer-involved shootings resulting in injury or death. The names of the involved officers have not been publicly disclosed.
SOURCE LINKS :
• https://www.longbeach.gov/police/press-releases/officer-involved-shooting-and-undetermined-death-investigation--2800-block-of-golden-avenue/
• https://ktla.com/news/local-news/police-release-bodycam-video-of-officers-fatally-shooting-woman-outside-long-beach-home-where-man-was-also-found-dead/
• https://lbpost.com/news/crime/police-release-video-of-standoff-with-woman-they-shot-to-death-in-wrigley-earlier-this-month/
• https://www.longbeachlocalnews.com/2021/04/19/police-release-body-cam-video-from-fatal-officer-involved-shooting-in-long-beach/
• https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/woman-shot-killed-long-beach-police/

Vinetta Martin
Age :
Gender :Female
Race : Black
Date : 04/02/2021
Location : Santa Rita Jail, 5325 Broder Boulevard
City : Dublin
County : Alameda
State : California
Agency : Alameda County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO)
Officer(s) : Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Unknown
Event : Suicide in jail
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
Vinetta Martin, a Black female, died by suicide on April 2, 2021, while in custody at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, California. Deputies were required to check on her every 30 minutes in Housing Unit 24 pod F-2 but failed to do so. A deputy’s logbook falsely recorded the checks, but body camera surveillance showed Martin was not monitored as required. The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the circumstances surrounding her death.
SOURCE LINKS :
https://www.ktvu.com/news/a-look-at-the-people-who-have-died-at-santa-rita-jail

Matthew Blaylock
Age :38
Gender :Male
Race : Black
Date : 03/29/2021
Location : 8th and Bixel Streets
City : Los Angeles
County : Los Angeles
State : California
Agency : Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)
Officer(s) : Not disclosed
Cause of Death : Gunshot
Event : Killed by police during attempted arrest
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 03/29/2021, at approximately 3:50 a.m., LAPD officers attempted to stop Matthew Blaylock near 7th and Bixel Streets. Blaylock fled on foot, and officers escalated a chase that ended near 8th and Bixel Streets, where Blaylock allegedly produced a handgun. Officers opened fire, killing him. A handgun was recovered at the scene. Body camera footage of the incident has been released and is under review. The LAPD's Force Investigation Division is investigating the shooting, and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office will review the case.
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Total Fatalities/Injuries:1 (Matthew Blaylock)
SOURCE LINKS :
1. https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/lapd-officers-police-shooting-westlake-district/
2. https://mynewsla.com/crime/2021/03/30/man-fatally-shot-by-police-in-westlake-area-identified/
3. https://carrydaily.org/officers-shoot-suspect-armed-with-ghost-gun/
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuQRpra_94s
5. https://da.lacounty.gov/reports/ois

David William Kahler
Age :30
Gender :Male
Race : White
Date : 03/08/2021
Location : 2255 N Buena Vista St
City : Burbank
County : Los Angeles
State : California
Agency : Burbank Police Department
Officer(s) : Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Gunshot
Event : Killed by police during response to child welfare call
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 03/08/2021, at approximately 5:20 a.m., Burbank Police Department officers responded to a report of a young child wandering alone in the parking lot of the Quality Inn Burbank Airport, located at 2255 N Buena Vista Street. Officers found a 7-year-old boy sitting on a curb, who stated he was waiting for his stepfather, identified as 30-year-old David William Kahler of Las Vegas.
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Investigations revealed that Kahler and the child had been involved in a car accident on the 5 Freeway in a vehicle suspected of being stolen from Las Vegas. After leaving the accident scene, they proceeded to the hotel parking lot. Surveillance footage showed Kahler attempting to enter vehicles that did not belong to him. He later arrived at the hotel in a maroon Honda Accord, also reported stolen from the 2200 block of North Frederic Street.
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As officers spoke with the child, Kahler drove up to the hotel. Body camera footage shows the child running to the vehicle and getting inside. Kahler allegedly drew a weapon and pointed it at one of the officers. The officer fired three shots, striking Kahler. The child was unharmed and taken into protective custody. A loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun, reported stolen from Las Vegas, was recovered at the scene.
Kahler was transported to a nearby trauma center, where he succumbed to his injuries. At the time of his death, Kahler was on probation in Nevada and had an extensive criminal history, including burglary while in possession of a firearm, domestic violence, narcotics violations, and theft.
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The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is conducting an independent investigation into the officer-involved shooting, with cooperation from the Burbank Police Department.
SOURCE LINKS :
• https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/burbank-pd-fatal-shooting-david-william-kahler/
• https://myburbank.com/police-release-new-information-on-officer-involved-fatal-shooting/
• https://www.burbankpd.org/assets/1/16/Burbank_PD_News_Release_-_Officer_Involved_Shooting_Update.pdf
• https://dailycaller.com/2021/04/23/burbank-california-fatal-police-shooting/
• https://myburbank.com/police-fatally-shoot-man-at-quality-inn-after-confrontation-in-parking-lot/
• https://news3lv.com/news/local/las-vegas-man-idd-as-suspect-shot-and-killed-by-police-in-southern-california
• https://www.ktnv.com/news/burbank-police-release-video-of-officer-shooting-killing-las-vegas-man
• https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/las-vegas-man-killed-by-police-officers-in-burbank-california/
• https://www.ktnv.com/news/las-vegas-man-shot-killed-by-burbank-police-in-southern-california

Francisco Eduardo Flores
Age :30
Gender :Male
Race : Latino/a/e
Date : 02/15/2021
Location : Garvey Ave and Durfee Ave
City : El Monte
County : Los Angeles
State : California
Agency : El Monte Police Department
Officer(s) : Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Gunshot
Event : Killed by police during robbery investigation
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On 02/15/2021, at approximately 2 p.m., El Monte Police Department officers responded to a robbery report near Garvey Avenue and Durfee Avenue in El Monte, California. Officers observed Francisco Eduardo Flores, 30, who matched the description provided in the report, fleeing onto the eastbound off-ramp of the 10 Freeway at Durfee Avenue.
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An officer chased Flores and escalated a physical altercation. A second officer arrived to join the fight. During the physical fight, at least one officer opened fire, killing Flores. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau is investigating the shooting. Investigators have confirmed that Flores was unarmed. The officers involved have not been publicly identified.
SOURCE LINKS :
• https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/el-monte-police-fatally-shoot-man-near-10-freeway/
• https://www.foxla.com/news/man-shot-killed-in-el-monte-lasd-says
• https://abc7.com/officer-involved-shooting-el-monte-ois-los-angeles-sheriffs-dept-lasd/10342682/

Anthony Steven Loia
Age :26
Gender :Male
Race : Latino/a/e
Date : 02/06/2021
Location : Magnolia Avenue and 14th Street
City : Long Beach
County : Los Angeles
State : California
Agency : Long Beach Police Department
Officer(s) : Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Gunshot
Event : Killed by police after refusing to drop firearm while pointing it at people and vehicles
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On February 6, 2021, at approximately 9:15 p.m., Long Beach Police Department officers responded to reports of a man, later identified as 26-year-old Anthony Steven Loia, walking near Magnolia Avenue and 14th Street, pointing a handgun at people and passing vehicles. Upon arrival, officers located Loia, who matched the description provided by callers. Officers gave multiple commands for Loia to drop his firearm, which he ignored. When he refused to comply, five officers opened fire, striking Loia. Officers immediately performed CPR, but Loia was pronounced dead at the scene. A firearm was recovered near his body.
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Investigation:
The Long Beach Police Department is conducting a thorough investigation into the incident, including reviewing body-worn camera footage from the involved officers. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is also conducting an independent investigation, as per standard protocol for officer-involved shootings resulting in injury or death. The names of the involved officers have not been publicly disclosed.
SOURCE LINKS :
• https://lbpost.com/news/police-shooting-ois-long-beach-anthony-loia/
• https://ktla.com/news/local-news/family-friends-hold-vigil-for-26-year-old-father-who-was-fatally-shot-by-long-beach-police/
• https://patch.com/california/los-angeles/man-pointing-gun-passing-vehicles-shot-long-beach-police
• https://www.longbeachlocalnews.com/2021/03/17/long-beach-police-release-body-camera-footage-of-officer-involved-shooting/
• https://sigtrib.com/lbpd-releases-body-camera-footage-showing-events-leading-up-to-police-shooting-of-anthony-loia/

Rolando Pinto-Mendez
Age :26
Gender :Male
Race : Latino/a/e
Date : 02/03/2021
Location : South San Antonio Avenue and Philadelphia Street
City : Pomona
County : Los Angeles
State : California
Agency : Pomona Police Department
Officer(s) : Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Vehicle
Event : Bystander killed by police chase crash
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
On February 3, 2021, at approximately 3:51 p.m., Pomona Police Department officers attempted to stop a 1990 maroon Honda Accord for a vehicle code violation near San Antonio Avenue and Ninth Street. The driver, later identified as 22-year-old Eli Richard Machado Lopez, did not stop. Po.lice escalated a chase that reached speeds of up to 106 mph.
Police claim they "called off the chase" just before the driver collided with a Nissan Maxima at the intersection of South San Antonio Avenue and Philadelphia Street. The impact was severe, w.ith Pinto-Mendez sustaining fatal injuries. He was pronounced dead at the crash site.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is investigating the incident. Pinto-Mendez's father suffered a heart attack upon learning of his son's death.
SOURCE LINKS :
• https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/man-sentenced-to-20-years-to-life-for-pomona-pursuit-crash-that-killed-innocent-driver/
• https://kfiam640.iheart.com/featured/la-local-news/content/2024-05-28-ex-con-sentenced-for-deadly-crash-in-pomona/
• https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/pomona-pursuit-crash-rolando-pinto-vigil/
• https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/driver-murder-arrest-crash-pomona-traffic-stop/2518847/

Daniel Alvarado Jr.
Age :38
Gender :Male
Race : Latino/a/e
Date : 01/02/2021
Location : San Gabriel Boulevard and Dewey Avenue
City : San Gabriel
County : Los Angeles
State : California
Agency : San Gabriel Police Department
Officer(s) : Not Disclosed
Cause of Death : Gunshot
Event : Killed by police during traffic stop
OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :
Police alleged that the driver, identified as 38-year-old Daniel Alvarado Jr., produced a gun. At least one officer opened fire and killed Alvarado. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Homicide Bureau is leading the investigation. The identities of the officers involved have not been disclosed. The San Gabriel Police Department has not confirmed whether body cameras were used.
SOURCE LINKS :
• https://patch.com/california/los-angeles/man-fatally-shot-san-gabriel-cops-traffic-stop-identified
• https://ktla.com/news/local-news/san-gabriel-police-fatally-shoot-man-believed-to-be-armed-during-traffic-stop/
• https://abc7.com/san-gabriel-ois-officer-involved-shooting/9327639/