The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office Won’t press charges against two Huntington Park police officers that They shot a man with both legs amputated who allegedly stabbed a person minutes before the attack.
In a 28-page reportthe prosecution said that, following an investigation into the shooting that killed Anthony Lowe, on January 26, 2023, it was concluded that “the evidence demonstrates that Lowe, despite his physical limitations, posed an imminent mortal threat for the two officers and other people“.
The report mentions that it could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that officers Joshua Volasgis and Paul Muñoz lacked a reasonable belief that the use of deadly force was necessary to defend against an imminent threat of death and to apprehend a fugitive criminal.
Keep reading: VIDEO: California police officers who killed Anthony Lowe, an African-American man in a wheelchair, are being investigated
Prosecutors cited Lowe’s actions leading up to the shooting, noting that the two officers located him about five minutes after he allegedly got out of his wheelchair to stab a man in the chest and that he was handling a knife in a threatening manner.
“At that time, it was reasonable for them to believe that, despite having both legs amputated and physical limitations, Lowe still had the ability to execute a violent attack with a knife“, is expressed in the report.
“This belief was confirmed when Lowe demonstrated his strength and agility to the officers, quickly away from them on his knees. while carrying out violent cutting movements with his knife,” the document adds.
Keep reading: Family of man with two amputated legs killed by Huntington Park police accused officers of murder
Lowe had been paroled from a California state prison in April 2022 for robbery, and He had his legs amputated below the knees after jumping off a Texas freeway overpass in 2022. after a confrontation with Harris County deputies.
“Officers attempted to calm the situation by overturning Lowe’s wheelchair, ordering him to drop the knife and finally using a Taser twice, all of which were ineffective“said the prosecutor’s office in the report.
Police officers Volasgis and Muñoz fired their weapons at Lowe when the subject raised a knife over his head. and seemed to be about to throw it at a third officerprosecutors said.
Keep reading: They demand that police officers involved in the death of a double amputee be criminally prosecuted
The police confrontation with Lowe and the subsequent shooting was recorded by a surveillance camera at a nearby medical center, while the autopsy determined that the amputee had methamphetamine in his bloodaccording to the Los Angeles County prosecutor’s office.
It was later learned that the Los Angeles police had been called two weeks earlier by Lowe’s mother, who reported that the man had recently been released from a 72-hour mental health detentionso I was worried that he was suicidal.
He Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) conducted an investigation which included analysis of surveillance video, 911 recordings, witness interviews, medical records and information from court files filed regarding the shooting, among other documents.
Keep reading: Family of man with two amputated legs killed by Huntington Park police accused officers of murder
“Although Mr. Lowe had both legs amputated, He had the ability to maneuver quickly and posed a serious danger to officers. who responded to the scene,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman. in a press release.
“This was a tragic series of events, triggered by the dangerous actions of Mr. Lowe, who forced both officers to make a split-second decision to use lethal force“added the prosecutor.
Huntington Park officials They recognized the independent investigation and the conclusion of the Los Angeles County prosecutor’s office.
Keep reading: The US government imposes limits on the use of force by federal police agencies
“As with all officer-involved incidents, this matter was subject to an external review process, and we recognize the importance of said process to ensure accountability and compliance with the rule of law,” said Huntington Park Police Chief Cosme Lozano.
City officials said the district attorney’s determination Applies only to criminal investigation and does not affect any civil litigation related to the shooting.
Keep reading:
· Violent raid in Los Angeles: immigration agents raid home
· Quinceañera shops on the floor in Huntington Park
· ICE agents must identify themselves in raids, according to Huntington Park mayor