CA - Off Duty Police Officer shoots man and parents after altercation in Costco, Corona, June 2019

[Poppyflower]

I am pretty sure the reason there hasn't been an arrest is because a shooter is a LAPD cop.

I agree.

 

[Jax49]

dbm

 

[Deleted member 39678]

Five to seven feet is supposedly the distance the shooter was away from French and his parents.

"How far away was Sanchez when he opened fire on French and his parents? Galipo said based on his conversation with Russel French, Sanchez was five to seven feet away. That too has yet to be confirmed by investigators."

What We Know, And Don't Know, About The Fatal Costco Shooting By An Off-Duty LAPD Cop

I'll wait until it's confirmed.

Like I've said before. I'm not using information from either sides lawyer's to come to any conclusion in this case.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

I have to say that one of the main reasons why I love Websleuths is that people who have different opinions can post together in a civil and friendly manner in cases like this one where information is sparse and some of what we do have is from two lawyers who are obviously only going to serve their clients.

 

[Lilibet]

Well...the idea may seem horrifying at first. But it's backed up by law. An unarmed attack can occur in a number of ways, and people do have the right to defend themselves against bodily harm. For example, what about a rape? What about someone absolutely whacked out on drugs (like bath salts) who is approaching you in an aggressive manner and won't listen to your warnings? In both cases, you don't really know if the person intends to kill you. But you do have to do everything you can to protect yourself from them.

I am of the opinion that I do not have the authority to end the life of a human being for any reason.

I agree with both of these statements. What it boils down to is my intent in defending myself from rape or bodily harm, which I do believe I have the right to do. But there are many ways short of immediately deciding to take someone’s life to do this. Scream, retreat, well-placed kick, bite, claw, and even hit the person with whatever item I can grab (candlestick, chunk of wood, hammer) in order to knock him out. My intent is to neutralize the threat, not kill. If the person happens to die during my self-defense, I have a clear conscience, despite my horror at killing someone, because I know in my heart that killing was not my intent.

I realize the law of the land allows me more freedom to kill in self-defense, but I personally don’t believe I have been given that right.

The policeman’s intent was clearly to kill. Although the law may agree with him, I can’t. But the legal authorities have the right to make the determination.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

Based on what I've seen, I tend to think that this probably did not require deadly force. But I think at this point, I am just spinning my wheels until there's more info.

If I disregard the information provided by both sides lawyers and only use the limited facts as we know them I would also tend to agree that the officer was not justified in using lethal force.

The problem I have with only using the facts as we know them for me is it's very limited and doesn't make sense. There has to much more to the story.

I'm going to wait for more facts. JMO

 

[Deleted member 39678]

We don't know if the son was off his meds. We also don't know if he is schizophrenic or what his actual diagnosis is. All of that seemed to be speculation by relatives. It also doesn't appear, at least from what has been reported, that son was aggressive before. There are many photos of the son in public places with his parents. So obviously on prior occasions son was able to go to public places, accompanied by his parents, without any problems.

I would assume that French didn't act violently or aggressively in previous outings with his parents.

If it's true that he recently stopped taking some kind of medication is it possible this was the first time he was out in a crowded store with his parents since that change?

That could be significant if it's true. Yet another question that is unanswered at this point. JMO

 

[mickey2942]

My feelings exactly. They are treating it as if he was on duty, not a regular citizen. I find it hard to believe that if a regular citizen started shooting at Costco (even if he was pushed by someone) they wouldn't have arrested that regular citizen on the spot and hauled his behind into jail.

This. No arrest? No charges? Are we living in a "Police State"? Where police officers can shoot citizens at will?

Are we just "sheeple" accepting that off duty police officers can just shoot people at Costco? Life goes on, shrug.

 

[Lilibet]

This. No arrest? No charges? Are we living in a "Police State"? Where police officers can shoot citizens at will?

Are we just "sheeple" accepting that off duty police officers can just shoot people at Costco? Life goes on, shrug.

I’m hoping that the delay is due to the condition of the mother and her inability to give a statement. But I do wonder what the video showed. Could it have been inconclusive?

 

[Deleted member 39678]

This. No arrest? No charges? Are we living in a "Police State"? Where police officers can shoot citizens at will?

Are we just "sheeple" accepting that off duty police officers can just shoot people at Costco? Life goes on, shrug.

I hope that's not the case.

At this point I'm looking at this as an ongoing investigation and if the facts warrant it there will be an arrest and conviction.

I find it interesting that there have been many posts saying that if the shooter was a civilian he or she would have been arrested on the spot.

I haven't seen any posts saying that if it was a civilian and he or she was arrested that it would be premature considering the circumstances.

I'll go on the record and say that in this case it doesn't matter who the shooter was. I think that doing a through investigation first is the proper course of action. JMO

 

[bwt42]

The gun he used is described as a 9 mm pistol.
"Sanchez was knocked to the ground and moments later opened fire with a 9 mm pistol he was carrying, killing French and critically wounding his parents."
What We Know, And Don't Know, About The Fatal Costco Shooting By An Off-Duty LAPD Cop

IDK if this is msm. The article left me confused. The officers' attorney said his client did not identify himself as LE & the victims' attorney said he did. Does this sound right?

 

[Deleted member 39678]

IDK if this is msm. The article left me confused. The officers' attorney said his client did not identify himself as LE & the victims' attorney said he did. Does this sound right?

That's why I'm not using the lawyers statements to come to any conclusion in this case.

They are in conflict with each other for an obvious reason. They are only concerned with their clients interests.

I just reread your post. It doesn't make sense what that article said. It looks backwards. I don't think that's MSM.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

I’m hoping that the delay is due to the condition of the mother and her inability to give a statement. But I do wonder what the video showed. Could it have been inconclusive?

Or the video and other evidence is very conclusive that the officer was legally justified in this shooting.

With this being a high profile case perhaps they are going to drag their feet in the hopes that media attention will die down some before releasing anything like that.

If LE rushes to judgement there will be backlash. I'm sure that the coroner's report isn't done yet along with any toxicology on the officer.

JMO

 

[mickey2942]

Or the video and other evidence is very conclusive that the officer was legally justified in this shooting.

With this being a high profile case perhaps they are going to drag their feet in the hopes that media attention will die down some before releasing anything like that.

If LE rushes to judgement there will be backlash. I'm sure that the coroner's report isn't done yet along with any toxicology on the officer.

JMO

1. Nine days, tomorrow.
2. Do we know that a toxicology test was run on SS?
3. Video? I wonder if or when that will be released.
4. Wait for everything to die down? Or wait for French's parents to die?

 

[Deleted member 39678]

1. Nine days, tomorrow.
2. Do we know that a toxicology test was run on SS?
3. Video? I wonder if or when that will be released.
4. Wait for everything to die down? Or wait for French's parents to die?

I hope that a toxicology test was done on him.

I doubt that any video of this shooting will be forever held from public view. Hard to say when we will see any.

I'm not sure that both parents are about to die and I don't see how that would change the outcome of any criminal case against the officer. JMO

 

[SoCalDavidS]

I hope that a toxicology test was done on him.

I doubt that any video of this shooting will be forever held from public view. Hard to say when we will see any.

I'm not sure that both parents are about to die I don't see how that would change the outcome of any criminal case against the officer. JMO

If there was not a toxicology test done, and I am cynical so I am guessing that one wasn't, would that make you more likely to think the off-duty cop received special treatment?

I wonder what they're up to, and why they're not releasing any more details. All the while, the shooter is free, and actually getting paid during this time. Pathetic.

Since there has been no indication whatsoever that the parents were involved in the altercation which caused SS to fall, their mortality is very important. Even though the authorities may want to give SS EVERY chance to get away with this crime, it will be hard to justify self-defense if the mother dies from her injuries. So far as I've heard, she was not part of any interaction with SS, and might have been the result of SS shooting anything in his path.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

If there was not a toxicology test done, and I am cynical so I am guessing that one wasn't, would that make you more likely to think the off-duty cop received special treatment?

I wonder what they're up to, and why they're not releasing any more details. All the while, the shooter is free, and actually getting paid during this time. Pathetic.

Since there has been no indication whatsoever that the parents were involved in the altercation which caused SS to fall, their mortality is very important. Even though the authorities may want to give SS EVERY chance to get away with this crime, it will be hard to justify self-defense if the mother dies from her injuries. So far as I've heard, she was not part of any interaction with SS, and might have been the result of SS shooting anything in his path.

I have no reason to believe that there was no toxicology done on the officer. If it comes out that it's standard procedure to do it in cases like this and it wasn't done then it would stand to reason that something is wrong here.

Give it some time. We will learn more eventually.

Without knowing more details of what happened I can't say whether self defense is applicable or not in this case.

Like I told you before. I'm fine with you making up your mind about this case. You are entitled to your opinion.

 

[mickey2942]

If there was not a toxicology test done, and I am cynical so I am guessing that one wasn't, would that make you more likely to think the off-duty cop received special treatment?

I wonder what they're up to, and why they're not releasing any more details. All the while, the shooter is free, and actually getting paid during this time. Pathetic.

Since there has been no indication whatsoever that the parents were involved in the altercation which caused SS to fall, their mortality is very important. Even though the authorities may want to give SS EVERY chance to get away with this crime, it will be hard to justify self-defense if the mother dies from her injuries. So far as I've heard, she was not part of any interaction with SS, and might have been the result of SS shooting anything in his path.

Very interesting perspective. If SS shot French because of a "vicious and violent attack" that knocked him down, and was so escalated that the only recourse was for SS to shoot French, immediately, to protect his family...SS is "justified" in the use of lethal force against French.

But, the Mother and Father of French, is another story. If one of them dies, I can definitely see a manslaughter charge.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

Very interesting perspective. If SS shot French because of a "vicious and violent attack" that knocked him down, and was so escalated that the only recourse was for SS to shoot French, immediately, to protect his family...SS is "justified" in the use of lethal force against French.

But, the Mother and Father of French, is another story. If one of them dies, I can definitely see a manslaughter charge.

I'm not so sure that the officer would be guilty of any crimes against French's parents if French's actions lead to the events that ended with injuries to his parents. JMO.

 

[foleybrau]

If this had been a car accident, and Mr. French had hit SS's car, with his wife and child in the car, potentially harming his family, by your "logic", it would have been an acceptable response to get out of the car, and shoot Mr. French and his parents for endangering SS's family.

I believe that SS's response to being shoved, pushed, whatever was a relex of anger and rage.

Not saying it's justified by any stretch. Purely theorising that he may have shocked into an over reaction if the attack was sudden, unusual, and he was carrying his child at the time. People are real touchy on here......