Family of mentally ill man fatally shot by sheriff's deputies files federal suit again - 02/19/2020 скачать в хорошем качестве

Family of mentally ill man fatally shot by sheriff's deputies files federal suit again - 02/19/2020

SOUTH PASADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- A federal civil rights lawsuit filed by the family of a mentally ill Whittier man killed by Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies last fall alleges that they should have put the victim on a psychiatric hold instead of shooting him in front of his loved ones. The suit, filed in L.A. federal court on Feb. 14, alleges that the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and Los Angeles County Psychiatric Emergency Response Team failed to place Marco Vazquez Jr. on a mental health hold when they had the chance after the family called for help on the evening of Oct. 6. Attorneys representing his family, Luis Carrillo and Michael Carrillo, said during a press conference Tuesday morning that Vazquez was denied medical care and deputies used excessive force when they shot Vazquez 10 times. Luis Carrillo said during Tuesday's press conference that Vazquez was not threatening anyone when he was shot. "My understanding is that they recovered a knife from inside the house and certainly he was not threatening anyone when he was shot. What makes this so very tragic is that without even trying to calm the situation they immediately pulled out their guns and within five seconds they started firing at him," he said. According to the complaint, the LASD had been aware prior to the day of the shooting that the 37-year-old victim had mental health problems. Shortly after LASD and the psychiatric team left the family home on Rexall Avenue after the first two-hour visit, Vazquez told his family that he was suicidal, and the man's daughter again dialed 911, Luis Carrillo said. This time, only sheriff's deputies responded to the scene and within seconds after their arrival, Vazquez was shot 10 times and killed in front of his family with "deliberate indifference,'' the complaint alleges. The night of the shooting, LASD Lt. Derrick Alfred told reporters that Vazquez was a threat during the second call for service to the family's home. "They immediately were confronted with the male in the driveway holding a knife to a woman, so there was no time at that point to call for a mental evaluation team. Action had to be taken," Alfred said. Family attorney Michael Carrillo denied that claim. "It's totally inaccurate, but it's another way that the sheriff's department and the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health is trying to justify their actions in using the force here," he said. "The family wants these officers fired, and if they're not fired, they should be retrained so they don't go out into the community and commit a senseless killing again,'' Luis Carrillo said. "Without even giving him a chance, they shot and killed him within seconds, and shot him 10 times.''