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On April 20, 2021, at approximately 2:17 a.m., a California Highway Patrol officer attempted to stop a white Chevrolet pickup at Fairfax Road and Niles Street for a registration violation. The driver, 25-year-old Branden Lewis LeMay Sr., failed to stop and fled northbound on Fairfax Road before turning westbound onto Panorama Drive. West of Mt. Vernon Avenue, the pickup lost control, veered off the roadway, and rolled down an embankment, landing on its roof in the westbound lane of China Grade Loop. LeMay was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger sustained moderate injuries and was taken to a local hospital. The Kern County Coroner’s Office confirmed LeMay’s identity and ruled the death accidental. No family statements or employment details were released.

https://bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/driver-killed-after-rolling-down-bluff-embankment
https://www.turnto23.com/news/local-news/at-least-one-killed-in-crash-on-alfred-harrell-panorama
https://www.kget.com/news/local-news/driver-killed-after-rolling-down-bluff-embankment-identified-as-branden-lemay-sr/

On 04/19/2021, Alameda police officers restrained Mario Gonzalez after responding to a report of a man acting erratically at a local business. Officers pinned Gonzalez face-down on the ground and applied body weight to his back for more than five minutes while he was handcuffed. During the restraint, Gonzalez became unresponsive. He was later pronounced dead. A second independent autopsy concluded that Gonzalez died from restraint asphyxiation, contradicting initial official findings and intensifying public scrutiny over prone restraint practices and police use of force.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-09-15/mario-gonzalez-alameda-police-death
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/15/us/mario-gonzalez-alameda-police.html
https://apnews.com/article/mario-gonzalez-alameda-police-restraint-asphyxiation-2e9b7d9a8d3a4d6e8b0e0a2c7c3f3b1a

On 04/17/2021, Alameda County sheriff’s deputies shot and killed 26 year old Matthew Harry during an encounter in Hayward. Deputies responded to a call reporting a man with a gun at a residence on Second Street. When deputies arrived, Harry fired multiple shots. Deputies opened fire and killed Harry at the scene.

https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2021/04/21/man-who-was-shot-dead-by-alameda-county-sheriffs-deputies-is-identified/

On April 15, 2021, a high-speed pursuit by the California Highway Patrol ended when the driver of a white 2004 Toyota Camry fled southbound on Highway 1 from Dimeo Lane toward Morrissey Boulevard. The vehicle lost control on the off-ramp, struck a concrete curb, collided with a metal guardrail and caught fire. Nineteen-year-old Alyssa Roman of San Jose, a passenger in the vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene. Three other passengers were injured and the driver was arrested for multiple felony offenses including DUI and evading a peace officer.

https://goodtimes.sc/san-jose-woman-dies-crash-high-speed-chase/7188842002/
https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/19-year-old-woman-killed-in-fiery-santa-cruz-crash-following-high-speed-chp-chase/

On 04/13/2021, San Diego police shot and killed 36 year old Christopher Templo Marquez following a prolonged standoff that moved through multiple parts of the city and ended near San Diego High School. Police reported that officers were searching for Marquez after reports of gunfire during an earlier encounter. Marquez took cover inside a dumpster on the school campus, where police maintained a perimeter for approximately 11 hours.
During the standoff, police stated that Marquez was accompanied by a woman. As the standoff continued, officers reported observing Marquez reposition the woman in a way they believed placed her at risk. Two police snipers opened fire, killing Marquez at the scene. The woman was not shot.
The San Diego County District Attorney later reviewed the incident and ruled the officers’ use of deadly force justified. No criminal charges were filed against the officers involved.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2021-04-12/shots-reportedly-fired-in-ocean-beach-and-downtown-san-diego-during-police-chase-swat-standoff-underway
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2022-12-16/district-attorney-clears-officers-deputies-in-10-san-diego-county-shootings

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/

On 04/10/2021, police responded to a domestic shooting at a residence on Massachusetts Avenue in Riverside where Christian Herrera fatally shot his partner in front of their children and barricaded himself inside. Officers established containment and attempted contact. Herrera later shot himself and died inside the residence. Reporting confirmed he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound during the police response.

https://www.nbcpalmsprings.com/2021/04/12/police-riverside-man-fatally-shoots-girlfriend-then-self
https://www.facebook.com/BanningPatch/posts/christian-herrera-died-saturday-night-after-shooting-his-partner-the-mother-of-t/3999446503448680

On 04/09/2021, a Riverside County sheriff’s deputy shot and killed 40 year old Gabriel Munoz Jr. along Interstate 10 near Whitewater. A motorist called police to report a man throwing rocks at passing vehicles. A deputy arrived and encountered Munoz near the freeway, where police said he had damaged a parked vehicle using a tire iron. The deputy issued commands as Munoz moved toward the interstate lanes. The deputy drove ahead to block traffic and continued issuing commands for Munoz to leave the roadway. During the encounter on the freeway, the deputy opened fire and killed Munoz.

https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/traffic/2021/04/09/deputy-involved-shooting-closes-10-east-whitewater-canyon-road/7159048002

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 04/07/2021, Daly City police shot and killed 44 year old Roger Cornelius Allen during an encounter on Niantic Avenue. Police approached Allen’s vehicle after observing it stopped with a flat tire. During the contact, officers saw an object inside the vehicle that they believed to be a firearm. Police attempted to remove Allen from the vehicle. During the encounter, officers opened fire and shot Allen. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police later stated that the object officers believed to be a gun was a replica firearm. The San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office reviewed the shooting and ruled it justified.

https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/police-activity-reported-in-daly-city/
https://dalycity.org/DocumentCenter/View/4820/City-of-Daly-City-Press-Release-OIS-4292021?bidId=

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 04/03/2021, Riverside County sheriff’s deputies went to a residence on La Fortuna Lane in Moreno Valley to locate Juan Carlos Estrada. Deputies used patrol vehicle speakers to order Estrada to come outside. While deputies were outside the home, a dispatcher received a call from inside the residence indicating Estrada was armed. Estrada later exited the home and moved toward deputies and their patrol vehicles. Deputies opened fire, and Estrada was shot and killed at the scene. The shooting was investigated by outside authorities.

https://www.pe.com/2021/04/04/assault-kidnapping-suspect-from-corona-fatally-shot-by-deputies-in-moreno-valley/

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 04/02/2021, Riverside County sheriff’s deputies were conducting surveillance at the Welcome Inn in Corona when they observed Angel Nelson in the parking lot. Deputies attempted to take Nelson into custody. During the encounter, members of the sheriff’s department Gang Impact Team opened fire, and Nelson was shot and killed at the scene. The circumstances surrounding the shooting were reviewed by outside authorities.

https://www.pe.com/2021/04/03/police-in-corona-shoot-kill-suspect-wanted-in-armed-assault-and-attempted-kidnapping-case/

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 04/01/2021, Fremont police officers followed Stephen Patrick Moseley in connection with an investigation and approached him near West Warren Avenue. During the encounter, police deployed a K9. Police stated that Moseley then produced a firearm. Officers opened fire, and Moseley was shot and killed at the scene. The shooting was investigated by outside authorities.

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/suspect-dead-following-fremont-officer-involved-shooting-police/2508567/

On 03/31/2021, Barstow police officers responded to a report of a man who had threatened another person and gestured as if he had a weapon at a residence on Montara Road. Officers encountered Lance Montgomery Powell outside the location as he moved toward a trailer on the property. According to police, Powell did not comply with commands and turned toward officers while firing a handgun. Officers opened fire, and Powell was shot and killed at the scene. The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation.

https://www.vvdailypress.com/story/news/crime/2021/04/01/man-shot-killed-police-barstow-after-officials-say-he-opened-fire-officers/4833038001/
https://sbcountyda.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/42/2022/11/OIS-Powell-Public-Release-Memo.pdf

On 03/31/2021, Visalia police responded to a call reporting a man threatening family members at a residence on North Conyer Street. Officers encountered Ivan Cuevas outside the home. During the encounter, police opened fire, and Cuevas was shot and killed at the scene. Authorities stated the incident involved a reported knife. The shooting was investigated by outside agencies.

https://abc30.com/10464841/
https://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/2021/03/31/officer-involved-shooting-investigated-visalia/4829632001/

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 03/28/2021, Lompoc police responded to reports of a person walking in public with a gun. Officers located Krys Brandon Ruiz, who was wearing a mask. Police said Ruiz did not comply with commands and ran on foot. While officers searched the area, police reported that Ruiz ran toward them holding a knife. Officers fired their weapons, killing Ruiz at the scene. The Santa Barbara County District Attorney reviewed the killing and ruled the use of deadly force justified. No criminal charges were filed against the officers.

https://www.ksby.com/news/crime/officer-involved-shooting-leaves-one-dead-in-lompoc
https://www.edhat.com/news/lompoc-police-officer-fatally-shoots-suspect/

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 03/21/2021, Riverside County sheriff’s deputies were executing a felony warrant for assault on a peace officer in Perris. Deputies located Cristian Castaneda at a residence near San Jacinto Avenue and Bond Road after an earlier incident in which a deputy was shot and wounded during a traffic stop. When deputies attempted to secure the suspect, Castaneda reportedly fired at officers inside the home. An hours-long standoff followed, during which armored vehicles and tactical resources were deployed. Deputies ultimately returned fire and the suspect was found dead inside the residence.

https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2021/05/07/calaveras-co-san-andreas-hostage-deputy-shot-suspect-dead/ — [Note: mismatch; link provided appears unrelated] https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/suspect-who-allegedly-shot-sheriffs-deputy-found-dead-inside-perris-home/2555586/
https://abc7.com/post/riverside-county-deputy-shot-sheriffs/10588992/

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 03/19/2021, Los Angeles Police Department officers responded to reports of a man armed with a hammer and a hatchet near Bonnie Brae Street in the Westlake district. Officers encountered Samuel Ponce at the location. During the encounter, an altercation occurred between Ponce and responding officers. Police fired their weapons, shooting and killing Ponce at the scene. No criminal charges were filed against the officers.

https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2021/03/19/police-shoot-allegedly-armed-man-in-westlake-district/

On 03/16/2021, Los Angeles Police Department officers responded to reports that a man was firing a rifle into the air in the rear yard of a property on West 21st Street in the University Park area of Los Angeles. Jorge Armando Cerda barricaded himself inside a residence on the lot. Officers attempted to communicate with Cerda for hours, including playing recordings of family members urging him to surrender. When negotiations failed, SWAT officers deployed tear gas into the home. Cerda fired at officers from inside the residence, wounding a SWAT officer in the face and chest. After Cerda emerged from the home armed with a shotgun and a handgun, LAPD Officer Steve Hernandez fired multiple rounds, killing Cerda. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Justice System Integrity Division reviewed the shooting and concluded the use of deadly force was lawful and justified in defense of officers.

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/2-hospitalized-after-police-shooting-during-swat-incident-in-university-park/
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-02-09/deadly-lapd-shooting-during-standoff-ruled-justified-but-chief-orders-swat-changes
https://da.lacounty.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/JSID-OIS-12-20-22-Cerda.pdf
https://homicide.latimes.com/post/jorge-armando-cerda/

On 03/16/2021, officers from the Hayward Police Department located a vehicle matching the description of one connected to a series of robberies in the East Bay in a Motel 6 parking lot on Industrial Parkway in Hayward. Officers parked unmarked vehicles in front of the car to block it in. According to released body-worn camera and security footage, the driver, later identified as 22 year old Caleb Smith, accelerated the vehicle into police cars multiple times as officers attempted to detain him. After the vehicle struck police vehicles more than once, officers fired at Smith. Smith exited the vehicle following commands but later died from his gunshot wounds. The Alameda County District Attorney’s office reviewed the shooting. A federal judge later allowed the family’s wrongful death lawsuit to proceed, finding disputed facts regarding whether officers acted with reckless disregard, but there are no known criminal charges against the officers involved in Smith’s killing.

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/east-bay/police-investigate-investigate-shooting-at-motel-6-in-hayward/2494466/
https://www.sfchronicle.com/eastbay/article/alameda-county-d-a-reopening-investigations-for-17754790.php
https://norcalrecord.com/stories/613465424-city-of-hayward-officers-sued-over-fatal-shooting-of-man
https://www.hayward-ca.gov/discover/news/may21/hayward-pd-critical-incident-video-release
https://courthousenews.com/no-immunity-for-bay-area-cops-who-killed-man-during-attempted-stop/

On 03/14/2021, Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies responded to a call reporting that 34 year old David Ordaz Jr. was suicidal. Deputies found Ordaz inside a vehicle holding a knife and refusing commands to drop it and exit the car. Deputies said they requested a mental evaluation team, but before it arrived, Ordaz exited the vehicle holding the knife. During the encounter, deputies fired a less-than-lethal stun bag round. Ordaz remained on the ground, and moments later a deputy fired a gun, killing him. The shooting drew public scrutiny after video footage showed Ordaz lying on the ground when he was shot. Prosecutors later charged the deputy with felony assault. The deputy pleaded no contest and was sentenced to probation.

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/la-county-sheriffs-deputy-shooting-in-east-la-leaves-man-dead/2549800/
https://www.wgmd.com/la-deputy-charged-for-killing-suicidal-man-lying-on-the-ground/
https://abc7.com/la-county-sheriffs-deputy-charged-east-deadly-shooting/12439355/
https://lapublicpress.org/2024/05/lasd-deputy-pineda-ordaz-shooting/
https://boyleheightsbeat.com/ex-sheriffs-deputy-gets-probation-in-2021-east-l-a-fatal-shooting/
https://abc7.com/post/sheriffs-deputy-pleads-contest-avoids-jail-fatal-shooting-east-la-man-david-ordaz-jr/15564323/

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 03/11/2021, Danville police responded to multiple calls reporting that a man was throwing rocks from an overpass above Interstate 680. Officer Andrew Hall located Tyrell Wilson near the overpass and confronted him. Police said Wilson was holding a folding knife and did not comply with commands to drop it. During the encounter, Officer Hall fired his weapon, striking Wilson. Wilson was transported to a hospital, where he later died. The shooting raised public concern about police use of lethal force in a situation involving behavioral distress on a roadway. The Contra Costa County District Attorney later reviewed the case. No criminal charges were filed against the officer.

https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2021/03/17/man-shot-by-danville-police-officer-dies-from-injuries/
https://www.police1.com/legal/ex-calif-deputy-may-have-felony-conviction-scrubbed-due-to-work-as-inmate-firefighter

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 03/10/2021, Richmond police responded to a report of a man damaging property along San Pablo Avenue. Officers encountered 47 year old Ivan Gutzalenko, who appeared to be in medical distress or under the influence of drugs and had fallen to the ground. Police handcuffed Gutzalenko and physically restrained him while he complained that he was having trouble breathing. During the restraint, an emergency medical technician administered a narcotic. Gutzalenko was transported to a hospital, where he died a short time later. His death prompted public scrutiny and later reporting focused on police restraint and the use of chemical sedation in custody. The Contra Costa County District Attorney ultimately cleared Richmond police of criminal responsibility.

https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2021/03/11/man-in-distress-dies-at-hospital-after-being-arrested-in-richmond/
https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/03/18/mans-death-after-being-handcuffed-by-richmond-police-deemed-an-accident/
https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/ivan-gutzalenko-richmond-police-in-custody-death-coroner-inquest-accidental/
https://www.danvillesanramon.com/news/2023/05/18/county-da-finds-richmond-police-not-responsible-for-2021-in-custody-death
https://richmondside.org/2025/09/11/ivan-gutzalaneko-richmond-forced-sedation/

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