Yet another police involved shooting in the United States is adding to the country’s mounting frustration with law enforcement. This most recent incident happened in Los Angeles County, when police shot and killed a security guard who was working at an auto shop.
The victim, Andres Guardado was just 18-years-old. Police say that he pointed a gun at them and ran away, but his family doesn’t believe that he was carrying a gun.
Jennifer Guardado, the victim’s sister, said that he was a good man, and that their family is devastated.
“He was gonna make it in life. He was gonna make it and become a good, professional man in life, but they took that away from my family and me. My parents are completely destroyed. We’re all dead already inside,†Jennifer said.
The incident occurred in the 400 block of Redondo Beach Boulevard, near South Figueroa Street, at about 5:53 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Andrew Heney, the owner of the Freeway auto body shop, told CBS that he probably ran because police pulled their guns on his as soon as they parked.
“We had a security guard that was out front, because we had just had certain issues with people tagging and stuff like that,†Heney said. “And then the police came up, and they pulled their guns on him and he ran because he was scared, and they shot and killed him. He’s got a clean background and everything. There’s no reason,†Heney said.
Police are now claiming that they did find a gun on the suspect but his family doesn’t believe that he owns a gun. Furthermore, the police officers claim that the gun found on him was highly illegal, which had the serial number scratched off with an illegal high capacity magazine.
The officers involved in the incident have not been named, but it appears that more than one cop opened fire on him.
To make matters even more suspicious, the LASD investigators removed security camera videos along with some of the cameras from businesses in the area.
Celina Avarca, Guardado’s cousin, says that he was working two jobs and was trying to become a registered nurse.
“I lost a part of me, it’s empty, and I’m never gonna have him back. I’m never gonna see him, he’s never gonna talk to me, I’m just, I can’t, I just can’t believe this happened to my brother. It really hurts me,†she said.
This is the second fatal shooting involving LASD deputies in two days, and both cases are provoked a great deal of suspicion. On Wednesday, police with the LASD fatally shot Terron Jammal Boone, and in that case, any video evidence in the case has disappeared as well. Boone is reportedly the half-brother of Robert Fuller, a 24-year old black man who was found hanging from a tree last week. Fuller’s death was initially ruled a suicide, but officials have promised a second investigation after outrage from local residents who suspect foul play.
