Stories Differ After Suspect Is Fatally Shot by 4 Deputies

Richard Garcia was shot by four sheriff’s deputies on an East Los Angeles street corner Sunday afternoon after a fight with his brother.

That’s where the agreement ends between the Sheriff’s Department and Garcia’s family. The two sides gave dramatically different descriptions Monday of what led to the death of the 34-year-old.

According to family members, who gathered at their Margaret Street home to mourn and to try to celebrate their father’s birthday Monday, the trouble began when Richard and Ramon Garcia got into a fight Sunday. They began wrestling and Ramon’s arm was cut, either on the corner of a coffee table or maybe by a knife. Ramon said that he isn’t sure but that he didn’t see a knife.

When Richard saw his younger brother bleeding, he “probably freaked out,” Ramon said, and ran out of the house.

“I went running after him saying, ‘I’m all right, I’m all right,’ ” Ramon, 33, said.

He ran after his brother, he said, but stopped at a convenience store parking lot when he saw a parked sheriff’s deputy. He said he ran to the car and told the deputy his brother needed help.

Then, he said, he went to the nearby apartment house of Richard’s girlfriend. Neighbors there said they heard loud voices coming from the apartment.

Both Ramon and his older sister, Lilia Arellano, said they told several deputies that their brother had been depressed lately and needed help. They said they implored the deputies not to hurt him.

A few minutes later, according to family members, Richard came out of the building and ran from the deputies. Ramon and his sister said the deputies opened fire, shooting Richard even after he fell to the ground.

“The deputies never said ‘freeze,’ ‘stop,’ or nothing,” Ramon said.

A couple of neighbors in the apartment house said, however, that they heard deputies shouting at the man to drop his weapon.

After the shooting, the family members said, they saw deputies congratulating each other on the shooting. At that point, they said, they decided to not cooperate with detectives, telling them to contact their lawyer. The family met with an attorney Monday.

“We can’t even call them for help because they’re going to come in here and kill somebody,” said Arellano, teary-eyed.

The Sheriff’s Department told a far different story. They said they have a tape-recorded 911 call from the home seeking help because an assault with a deadly weapon had just occurred. The family denies making the call.

Deputies said they were told where Richard had gone by Ramon. They arrived at the corner of Sadler Avenue and Via Campo and saw Richard, a recent state prison parolee, holding a 13-inch kitchen knife and hiding in a stairwell, according to Deputy Bruce Thomas. They ordered him to come out and surrender, Thomas said.

“He was coming out with the knife in his hand and charging the deputies,” Thomas said. “They ordered him repeatedly to drop the knife. He continued charging at the deputies. He got to a proximity close enough to the deputies that they felt their lives were in danger.”

Thomas said Richard was 10 feet to 15 feet from the deputies when four deputies fired their weapons, striking him several times, Thomas said.

Sheriff’s Department officials denied that the deputies involved in the shooting congratulated one another.

“I can tell you that definitely did not happen,” Thomas said. “You’re going to be emotional after a shooting, no matter who you are. I guarantee you that’s a false statement.”

Family members, Thomas said, refused to talk to investigators at the scene.

Coroner’s officials said an autopsy had not yet been conducted.

Sheriff’s Department officials said a suspect with a knife can be extremely dangerous, even for armed deputies.

Lt. Bruce Harris, a weapons training instructor, said the biggest concern is keeping enough distance between the deputy and suspect.

“The person with the knife can close that distance in such a short time you can’t react,” Harris said. “When someone is that close to you [10 to 15 feet] . . . he’s forcing your hand. He’s leaving you no options.”

Harris said that if suspects are farther away, deputies have been taught to use verbal commands to try to persuade them to drop their weapons, or to use nonlethal weapons if necessary. Deadly force should be used only when the suspects are closing distance with the deputy, Harris said.

The shooting is under investigation by the Sheriff’s Department.