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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 shooter as a heavyset male adult leaving the area in an older model minivan. 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. 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.

• 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/

San Bernardino deputies escalated a chase in Apple Valley. The driver did not stop and drove eastbound on Yucca Loma Road. Police continued to chase him into a residential area near Iroquois Road. Around 3:50 p.m., while still being chased, the vehicle crashed into a tree and a block wall. The driver was pronounced dead at the crash site. A female passenger sustained injuries and was airlifted to a trauma center. The pursuit was initiated after deputies attempted a traffic stop for a vehicle code violation.

https://www.vvng.com/apple-valley-pursuit-ends-in-fatal-crash-woman-airlifted/
https://usaccidentlawyer.com/news/man-killed-police-chase-accident-iroquois-road-yucca-loma-road-apple-valley-ca/

On April 6, 2021, Redding police tracked a stolen pickup truck equipped with a LoJack device. Officers located the vehicle and pursued it until the driver, 26-year-old Devin Wyteagle Kuykendall, crashed along Highway 273. He fled on foot across nearby railroad tracks while armed with a rifle. When he advanced toward officers near Grandview Avenue and Court Street, police opened fire and killed him. The Shasta County District Attorney later ruled the shooting justified following an independent investigation.

https://www.redding.com/story/news/2021/04/06/police-chase-armed-man-near-railroad-avenue-redding/7113252002/
https://krcrtv.com/news/local/heavy-police-presence-near-railroad-avenue-in-redding
https://krcrtv.com/news/local/da-officers-were-justified-in-2021-shooting-that-left-redding-man-dead

On April 4, 2021, a pursuit began in the San Fernando Valley after officers attempted to stop a vehicle reported stolen. The driver fled at high speed through city streets. The chase ended when the driver lost control and crashed—sources mention a collision into a pole or other fixed object—resulting in the driver’s death at the scene. The vehicle had reportedly been identified as stolen, and the Los Angeles Police Department was involved in the investigation.

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/suspect-dead-after-police-pursuit-ends-in-fiery-crash-in-san-fernando/
https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2021/04/04/driver-killed-after-stolen-vehicle-crash-in-san-fernando/
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/driver-dies-after-stolen-car-crashes-following-pursuit-in-san-fernando/

On April 3, 2021, just after 6:00 a.m., officers with the Vallejo Police Department responded to a call of a man slumped behind the wheel of an idling car. When officers approached, the 32-year-old drove away in a stolen vehicle, reached speeds around 85 mph in a 40 mph zone, and covered just over one mile before losing control and crashing into a tree. First responders pronounced him dead at the scene. The vehicle was stolen from Walnut Creek. The Solano County Major Crimes Task Force and the California Highway Patrol’s Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team are leading investigations.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wanted-parolee-stolen-car-dies-moments-slamming-tree/story?id=76864482

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.

• 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/

On April 1, 2021, a high-speed pursuit involving the California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles Police Department occurred on the 405 and 118 freeways in Sherman Oaks. The driver of a Honda, fleeing police at speeds reaching 117 miles per hour, entered the wrong lanes of traffic and crashed head-on into a Subaru. The driver of the Honda was fatally injured, and the bystander in the Subaru survived.

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/driver-killed-in-117-mph-wrong-way-chase-crash-on-405-freeway-in-sherman-oaks/
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-04-01/wrong-way-driver-dies-in-405-freeway-crash-after-police-chase-sherman-oaks
https://abc7.com/police-chase-sherman-oaks-405-freeway-crash-wrong-way/10472614/

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)

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

On 03/28/2021, a high-speed pursuit in Highland, California ended when the vehicle who had fled from police ran a red light at the intersection of Palm Avenue and Fifth Street and struck three other vehicles. One of the motorists, a female driver in a separate vehicle, was killed in the crash. The vehicle came to rest after colliding with multiple cars, and officers took two individuals into custody. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the incident.

https://www.sbsun.com/2021/03/28/highland-driver-killed-when-her-car-is-struck-by-suspects-who-had-fled-police/

On 03/24/2021, 34-year-old Joshua James Gloria of Oakland was shot and killed by Fremont Police Officer Brian Burch following a pursuit that began after police identified a stolen vehicle linked to an armed robbery. The chase ended on Highway 84 west of Interstate 880 when officers blocked the car, and Gloria allegedly attempted to ram a police vehicle. Officer Burch opened fire, fatally striking him.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/03/24/fremont-police-shooting-blocks-highway-84-lanes-west-of-i-880/
https://abc7news.com/fremont-police-shooting-bodycam-video-highway-84/10521096/
https://www.ktvu.com/news/armed-robbery-suspect-dies-in-fremont-police-shooting
https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/officer-involved-shooting-fremont-newark-highway-84-dumbarton-bridge/

On 03/24/2021, a 35-year-old man suspected of breaking into parked vehicles near the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook (9500 block of Jefferson Boulevard) in Culver City initiated a pursuit after police located his vehicle near Obama Boulevard and Hauser Boulevard. The man failed to stop for officers, leading to a high-speed chase that ended in a crash in which the driver was killed.

https://www.culvercityobserver.com/story/2021/03/25/news/burglary-suspect-killed-in-car-crash-after-police-pursuit/9917.html
https://westsidetoday.com/2021/03/25/culver-city-burglary-suspected-involved-in-fatal-traffic-accident-following-pursuit/

On 03/20/2021, Fresno County deputies pursued a driver at high speed through city streets. The fleeing vehicle ran a red light at McKinley Avenue and Cedar Avenue, colliding with multiple vehicles and erupting in flames. Twenty-year-old Navneet Kaur, a passenger in one of the struck vehicles, was killed instantly in the fiery crash.

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article282712823.html
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article250181910.html
https://abc30.com/post/fatal-crash-driver-sentenced-deaths-2021-crash-fresno/14146129/

On 03/20/2021, Fresno County deputies escalated a pursuit through residential areas. The fleeing vehicle sped through the red light at McKinley Avenue and Cedar Avenue and struck other cars, causing an inferno. Twenty-eight-year-old Simranjit Kaur, traveling with her cousin, was killed at the scene as flames engulfed the wreckage.

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article282712823.html
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article250181910.html
https://abc30.com/post/fatal-crash-driver-sentenced-deaths-2021-crash-fresno/14146129/

On 03/20/2021, a Fresno County sheriff’s deputy attempted to stop a driver who refused to pull over, leading to a high-speed chase. The fleeing vehicle entered the intersection of McKinley Avenue and Cedar Avenue on a red light, crashing into another car and igniting a massive fire. A 54-year-old male bystander was killed on impact as his vehicle caught fire.

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article282712823.html
https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article250181910.html
https://abc30.com/post/fatal-crash-driver-sentenced-deaths-2021-crash-fresno/14146129/

On March 12, 2021, 39-year-old Michael Clugston of Anaheim was killed when a man being chased by police while driving away from a traffic stop by Garden Grove police crashed into his vehicle at the intersection of Euclid Street and Orangewood Avenue in Garden Grove, California. Clugston was transported to UC Irvine Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

• https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-12/police-pursuit-ends-with-3-dead-after-crash-in-garden-grove-sends-truck-into-pool
• https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/person-killed-another-injured-after-crash-sends-car-into-residential-pool/2548444/

On March 12, 2021, 34-year-old Sal Fernandez was killed when a man fleeing from a traffic stop by Garden Grove police crashed into another vehicle at the intersection of Euclid Street and Orangewood Avenue in Garden Grove, California. Fernandez was a passenger in the fleeing vehicle, which crashed through a wall and came to rest upside down in a residential swimming pool. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

• https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-12/police-pursuit-ends-with-3-dead-after-crash-in-garden-grove-sends-truck-into-pool
• https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/person-killed-another-injured-after-crash-sends-car-into-residential-pool/2548444/

On March 11, 2021, Laguna Beach police attempted to stop a white Mercedes reported stolen. The driver, 36-year-old Tobiah Paul Steinmetz, refused to stop, and police escalated a chase through Newport Beach and back into Laguna Beach at high speed. During the pursuit, Steinmetz’s vehicle struck two others before police used a PIT maneuver on Pacific Coast Highway to stop him. After the crash, Steinmetz exited the vehicle, and officers opened fire. He was transported to Mission Hospital in critical condition and later died.

https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/story/2021-03-12/driver-shot-after-leading-laguna-beach-police-on-pursuit
https://patch.com/california/lagunabeach/coast-highway-shut-down-due-police-activity
https://www.lagunabeachcity.net/Home/Components/News/News/951/56

On March 11, 2021, Garden Grove police chased a speeding pickup truck through city streets. The driver refused to stop and accelerated through multiple intersections at high speed. The truck collided with another vehicle, crashed through a wall, and overturned into a backyard swimming pool near Euclid Street and Orangewood Avenue. Three people died in the crash, including the driver of the fleeing pickup, a passenger, and the driver of the struck vehicle. The force of the collision destroyed a wall and caused major property damage. The California Highway Patrol assisted in the investigation.
TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 3 fatalities

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-12/police-pursuit-ends-with-3-dead-after-crash-in-garden-grove-sends-truck-into-pool
https://abc7.com/post/garden-grove-crash-car-into-pool-deadly-euclid-street/10410218/
https://www.firehouse.com/rescue/water-ice/news/21214203/three-killed-in-ca-crash-that-ends-with-pickup-in-pool

On 03/09/2021, Riverside police responded to a report of a man armed with a gun near the 3700 block of Iowa Avenue. When officers arrived, the man, identified as 19-year-old Jehlani Black, ran from the area. Police escalated a foot pursuit that continued to the 1500 block of University Avenue. During the chase, Officer Sergio Mercado opened fire, striking Black. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A loaded handgun was recovered nearby. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Force Investigations Detail is conducting the investigation.

https://riversideca.gov/press/officer-involved-shooting-investigation-1500-block-university-avenue
https://riversideca.gov/cityclerk/sites/riversideca.gov.cityclerk/files/pdf/oid/BLACK%20OID%20Public%20Report%20-%202024.pdf

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.

• 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

On March 2, 2021, Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies attempted to stop a gray Chevrolet Malibu driving without headlights and weaving between lanes. The vehicle reportedly struck one of the deputies and continued driving. Deputies escalated a pursuit through the Fairfax District of Los Angeles. Near the intersection of Fairfax Avenue and 3rd Street, the fleeing driver crashed into a vehicle occupied by an uninvolved motorist. That vehicle burst into flames, killing the bystander. The man was arrested and taken to the hospital.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-03/fiery-sheriffs-pursuit-in-fairfax-district-leaves-one-dead
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/driver-dead-after-crash-during-pursuit-in-fairfax-district/2531284/
https://abc7.com/fairfax-crash-pursuit-deadly/10386255/
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/driver-dies-after-car-crashes-bursts-into-flames-during-pursuit-in-fairfax-district/
https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/bystander-killed-in-fiery-crash-fairfax-district-sheriffs-pursuit/

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

On March 2, 2021, authorities pursued an SUV suspected of human smuggling that originated near the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas and crossed into California. The chase ended near Holtville, where the overloaded Ford Expedition collided with a tractor-trailer on Highway 115. The crash killed 13 occupants and injured more than a dozen others. U.S. Border Patrol confirmed the vehicle entered the country through a gap in the border fence before the pursuit began. The mass-casualty crash became one of the deadliest pursuit-related incidents linked to cross-border smuggling operations in recent U.S. history.

TOTAL FATALITIES/INJURIES: 13 fatalities, 12 injuries

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-02/at-least-13-dead-in-california-car-crash-involving-suv-traveling-from-mexico
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/us/california-car-crash-holtville/index.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/13-dead-california-crash-border-patrol-human-smuggling-rcna362

On February 23, 2021, Joseph Benavente was fatally shot by an Ontario police officer following a brief vehicle pursuit. The incident began when officers attempted to stop Benavente for a vehicle code violation. He fled, leading officers on a short chase that ended on North Beverly Court, a dead-end street off West 6th Street. There, Benavente rammed three police cruisers. An officer exited his vehicle and opened fire, striking Benavente. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. A female passenger in the vehicle was not injured and was arrested on an unrelated citation.

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/chase-pursuit-deadly-police-shooting-ontario/2533431/
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-02-23/police-shoot-and-kill-driver-after-3-ontario-cruisers-are-rammed

On February 22, 2021, around 1:00 p.m., a motorcyclist on a Kawasaki refused to stop for the California Highway Patrol while traveling northbound on Interstate 15 near Fallbrook. The rider sped off at high speed and collided with a Toyota Camry and the center guardrail, suffering fatal injuries. He was transported to Palomar Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The rider’s name was not released by officials, but he was described as a White male. The California Highway Patrol is conducting the investigation.

https://timesofsandiego.com/crime/2021/02/22/kawasaki-rider-flees-chp-traffic-stop-and-dies-in-crash-on-northbound-i-15-near-fallbrook/
https://villagenews.com/roadway-blocked-on-i-15-after-fatal-motorcycle-crash-near-fallbrook/

On February 19, 2021, Costa Mesa Police officers responded to an incident near the 1500 block of South Coast Drive involving 34-year-old Jose David Valdez. Police said Valdez backed his vehicle toward passengers and then accelerated toward officers, prompting them to open fire. Valdez was struck and killed at the scene. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office conducted an investigation and later determined the shooting to be legally justified.

https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/story/2021-02-19/costa-mesa-officer-involved-shooting-leaves-one-dead
https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/costa-mesa-police-officer-shooting-car/
https://orangecountyda.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Valdez-OIS-SA-21-000554-Final-Signed-letter.pdf

On February 17, 2021, 32-year-old Hector Javier Puga was killed by police following a pursuit in Hesperia, California. The incident began when California Highway Patrol officers identified Puga's vehicle, a white Ford Expedition, matching the description from a shooting incident the previous evening on Interstate 15. When officers attempted a traffic stop, Puga did not stop. Police escalated a chase involving both CHP and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department deputies. The chase concluded at the intersection of Peach Avenue and Catalpa Street, where Puga's vehicle became disabled. After an hour-long standoff, during which officers fired beanbags, Puga exited the vehicle and was shot by officers after allegedly reaching for a firearm. Three bystanders—a man, a woman, and a 14-year-old boy—were injured by stray bullets during the incident. The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office later reviewed the shooting and deemed the use of lethal force legally justified.

https://www.vvng.com/pursuit-suspect-dead-3-bystanders-injured-in-officer-involved-shooting-in-hesperia/
https://da.sbcounty.gov/2024/10/04/officer-involved-shooting-fatal-hesperia-puga-h/
https://da.sbcounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/120/2024/10/OIS-Public-Release-Memo-Puga-Hector.pdf

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.

• 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/

On February 12, 2021, 21-year-old bystander Isabella “Bella” Calhoun-Chipress was killed when a police chased an allegedly stolen minivan into her vehicle at Jamacha Road and Sweetwater Road. The 17-year-old driver of the stolen van was reportedly fleeing deputies after a traffic stop. Bella had recently married and was scheduled to begin Marine Corps boot camp in May. She was driving home from work at IKEA when the crash occurred.

https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/mother-makes-plea-for-justice-after-spring-valley-daughter-killed-in-stolen-vehicle-pursuit-crash
https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/newlywed-21-killed-driver-fleeing-sheriff-spring-valley-crash
https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/21-year-old-killed-in-spring-valley-car-crash-just-married-planned-for-marines/2522005/
https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/spring-valley-crash-victim-family-speaks-out/509-fb610614-bb3c-445b-9a17-f0e43641dc1f
https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/woman-identified-in-fatal-spring-valley-crash-involving-stolen-van/

In the early morning hours of February 10, 2021, officers from the Los Angeles Police Department attempted to stop a stolen Honda CR-V around 12:30 a.m. in East Los Angeles. The driver refused to stop, and police escalated a pursuit that continued onto the I-10 Freeway. The driver exited near Corporate Center Drive in Monterey Park, lost control, and crashed into a tree. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, and a female passenger was transported to a hospital with injuries.

https://mynewsla.com/crime/2021/02/10/pursuit-suspect-slams-into-tree-in-monterey-park-killed-passenger-injured/
https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2021/02/10/monterey-park-police-chase-fatal-crash/
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/suspect-dies-after-police-pursuit-ends-in-fiery-crash-in-monterey-park/2523915/