Fatal Shooting by Officer Is Investigated

The FBI and Orange County Grand Jury are probing the September shooting death of a 28-year-old man by a Santa Ana police officer after being pulled over for driving a stolen car.

Police and civilian witnesses have given conflicting accounts of the incident, which has sparked community protests and the filing of a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city, which asks for $10 million in punitive damages.

The incident happened Labor Day weekend on North Laurel and 5th streets when the officer spotted the stolen vehicle and ordered Jose Manuel Campos to stop. The confrontation escalated to violence when the car continued to move forward as the officer tried to apprehend Campos.

Police say the shooting was justified because the officer feared being run over by Campos. They allege that Campos “gunned” the engine of the car and angled it toward the officer in an attempt to flee.

But witnesses say Campos posed no threat to the officer, said Marc Block, an attorney who filed a lawsuit in federal court on Friday on behalf of the Campos family. Block said at least six witnesses indicated that the officer provoked Campos before firing a bullet into his ear at point-blank range.

“He shot him in the ear from very close range for no reason,” Block said Friday.

Citing the conflicting accounts, the Orange County district attorney’s office has referred the matter to the grand jury for an independent inquiry, said Tori Richards, spokeswoman for the agency.

“In most police shootings, we are able to make a determination whether a crime has been committed or has not,” Richards said. “In this case we would rather have the grand jury conduct their own review.”

The FBI launched its probe at the request of the U.S. attorney’s office. Assistant U.S. Atty. Mike J. Gennaco, head of the civil rights section that comprises Orange and Los Angeles counties, said the allegations warrant an inquiry.

“It’s not unusual to investigate allegations of police misconduct,” he said. “Our bar is low.”

Santa Ana Police Lt. George Saadeh said the department is conducting its own investigation and plans to cooperate with the other probes. The community should await the conclusions, he said, before passing judgment on the officer. A 14-year veteran who has not been identified, the officer has returned to patrol duty, Saadeh said.