The family of Pedro Garcia, a 19-year-old who was fatally shot by Fullerton police, has filed a legal claim against the city, alleging wrongful death and a violation of civil rights. Officers responded to a domestic disturbance on March 15, where Garcia was reportedly wielding a knife. However, the family contests the police narrative, stating Garcia was unarmed when he was shot. "The family alleges that the officers’ use of deadly force was unwarranted and violated Pedro Garcia’s civil rights," their lawyers stated in a claim quoted by KTLA.
Garcia's mother, Gabriela Ordones-Campos, grief-stricken, demanded justice for her son, indicating that the pursuit of accountability is now their paramount objective. "Nothing that I'm going to do for him is going to bring back my son," Ordones-Campos expressed during a press briefing, as per information from CBS News. There's increasing pressure on the Fullerton Police Department to release body camera footage, with the family's attorney, Michael Carrillo, asserting no witness reported seeing Garcia with a weapon, contrary to the department's assertion that he had a pellet gun.
Amidst a conflicting narrative, where the Fullerton Police Department claims Garcia was armed with a pellet gun, family and witnesses tell a different story, with reports that Garcia had his hands up when the shooting occurred. The incident followed a family dispute at a party, resulting in a brother's call to the police alleging that Garcia had swung a knife at his father. When officers arrived, they say Garcia was uncooperative and pulled what looked like a gun, leading to the shooting. The family's legal team counters claims, insisting the knife was removed before officers arrived and challenging the presence of the pellet gun found at the scene. As reported by the OC Register, the family is disputing the police's version and pushing for the release of all relevant evidence.
The case has added fuel to a larger conversation about police use of force. Attorney General Rob Bonta's office is currently investigating two other incidents involving Fullerton police. While the state declined to investigate this case due to the alleged presence of the pellet gun, the district attorney's office has taken on the case. Fullerton, with a population of over 143,000, is seeing tensions rise as this fatal shooting joins 45 other cases under statewide investigation, according to statistics from CBS News. The police department has committed to releasing footage from the incident within 45 days, as is required by state law.
The family continues to seek transparency and justice, with echoes of "No justice, no peace" heard outside Fullerton City Hall.
