EspañolInvestigation Reveals Mario Sanchez Was Holding Cellphone Prior to Fatal Los Angeles Police Department Shooting
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (March 18, 2025) – A 35-year-old man identified as Mario Sanchez has tragically died in a Los Angeles Police Department shooting after a vehicle stop on Imperial Highway.
Los Angeles County officials are saying that the incident began around 10:20 PM on March 14. Southeast Patrol Division uniform officers conducted a traffic stop after observing a vehicle being driven erratically.
Officers ordered Mario Sanchez to lower his windows and to place his hands outside of the vehicle. It was at this point that the driver exited his vehicle and allegedly removed an item from his waistband.
Officers opened fire and struck the man, causing him to collapse alongside the roadway. Paramedics were called to the scene in order to help the victim, but Mario Sanchez was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
It was later determined that the object he was holding was actually a cellphone. A full investigation into the incident remains ongoing at this time.
Liability for Los Angeles Police Department Shootings
California has one of the highest instances of officer-involved shootings in the United States. Many of these shootings involve people who are unarmed. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, “In about 80 percent of encounters resulting in death or a gunshot wound, the civilian was armed with a weapon, underscoring the risky environments officers face. However, when we also consider civilians who sustained other serious injuries, 56 percent were unarmed.” Police departments should take a number of actions in order to help prevent fatal police shootings.
- Police officers should be equipped with less lethal weapons.
- Police officers should be trained to de-escalate encounters.
- Police officers should wait for backup in high-risk situations.
- Police officers should determine if a suspect is in the midst of a mental health crisis.
Every police officer has a legal obligation to use the least amount of force necessary for any given situation. Officers have specific guidelines that they must follow if they suspect that a person may be in the midst of a mental health crisis. An officer’s “failure to follow a safety rule promulgated by his employer, regardless of its substance, serves as evidence of negligence.” See, for example, Grudt, 468 P.2d at 831 (citation omitted); see People v. Brown, 245 Cal. App. 4th 140, 171 (Ct. App. 2016).
Consider, for example, Hayes v. County of San Diego. The California Supreme Court held that officers have a duty to act with reasonable force while taking into consideration the totality of circumstances surrounding any specific encounter. In particular, they must take into consideration whether or not a suspect is going through a mental health crisis. There are several measures that officers should take during such an encounter.
- Request backup
- Calm the situation
- Avoid physical contact
- Determine if the suspect is taking medication
- Acknowledge the suspect’s feelings
- Not make any threats
It can be hard to know where to begin if a loved one has been injured or killed in a Los Angeles Police Department shooting. In many situations, these encounters involve officers who were either unwilling or unable to properly de-escalate the situation. They may mistake ordinary objects like phones or wallets for weapons. It is important that surviving family members understand that they do have legal options. They’re able to seek some measure of accountability through a constitutional claim.
Investigating Los Angeles Police Department Shootings
We at the Carrillo Law Firm, LLP extend our deepest condolences to the family of Mario Sanchez. Any person that may have more information should reach out to investigators. There needs to be a thorough investigation into any previous use-of-force incidents with the officers involved in this deadly encounter. There are many questions that remain unanswered.
Do you need more information about a Los Angeles Police Department shooting? Our team of civil rights attorneys is here for you. We are committed to helping people understand their rights and holding police departments accountable for their illegal and unconstitutional uses of force. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any incident, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 626-799-9375.
