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Larry Luis Mendez

Age : 38

Gender : Male

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 07/12/2021

Location : Interstate 10 eastbound on-ramp at Milliken Avenue

City : Ontario

County : California

State : California

Agency : Fontana Police Department; Ontario Police Department

Officer(s) :Alex Yanez

Cause of Death : Gunshot

Event : Killed by police after pursuit

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 07/12/2021, Fontana Police officers attempted to stop a white Honda Accord driven by 38-year-old Larry Luis Mendez. Mendez continued driving away while police pursued onto Interstate 10. The pursuit ended when Mendez stopped on the eastbound on-ramp at Milliken Avenue in Ontario. After the vehicle came to a stop, officers surrounded it and repeatedly ordered Mendez to surrender.
According to the San Bernardino County District Attorney's subsequent investigation, Mendez exited the vehicle holding a handgun and ignored repeated commands to drop it. Officer Alex Yanez fired his department-issued rifle, striking Mendez. Officers recovered a loaded semiautomatic handgun near Mendez after the shooting. Mendez was pronounced dead at the scene.
The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office conducted an independent review that included officer interviews, witness statements, physical evidence, body-worn camera recordings, dispatch recordings, forensic testing, and autopsy findings. In a 23-page public memorandum released on March 28, 2025, the District Attorney concluded that Officer Alex Yanez acted in lawful self-defense and defense of others because Mendez presented an imminent threat while armed with a handgun. The memorandum determined the use of deadly force was legally justified and declined to file criminal charges against the officer.
The public release memorandum identified Alex Yanez as the involved officer and Detective Gary Naranjo of the Ontario Police Department as the lead investigator. The report also documented that investigators recovered Mendez's handgun, spent cartridge casings, body-camera evidence, and other forensic evidence supporting the District Attorney's review of the shooting.

Officer Yanez killed another man 18 months later:
Jaime Valdez — November 11, 2023
Officer Yanez responded alone to a domestic violence call in Fontana. According to the California Department of Justice, Valdez physically fought with Yanez, deployed Yanez's Taser against him, struck him, and grabbed at Yanez's holstered handgun. Yanez fatally shot Valdez during the struggle. Valdez's family later filed a federal wrongful-death lawsuit alleging excessive force. In February 2026, the California DOJ completed its independent AB 1506 review and concluded there was insufficient evidence to support criminal charges against Yanez.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.sbsun.com/2021/07/12/10-freeway-pursuit-ends-in-police-shooting-in-ontario/
https://da.sbcounty.gov/2025/04/17/officer-involved-shooting-fatal-ontario-l-mendez/
https://da.sbcounty.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/120/2025/04/Mendez-Larry-OIS-Public-Release-Memorandum.pdf