The Gardena Police Department has revealed dramatic footage of a 2013 officer-involved shooting that led to a $4.7 million settlement between the city and the victim’s family. The video was shared Tuesday after a ruling by U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson who said the public had an interest in seeing the tape and ordered its release.
The footage captures the final moments before the fatal shooting of Ricardo Diaz Zeferino, an unarmed man who was suspected of stealing a bicycle. As it turns out, the bike belonged to his brother and Zeferino was merely helping to locate it. A police dispatcher had also erroneously reported the crime as a robbery, which would indicate the use of weapons or force in the incident.
In the video, the suspect can initially be seen cooperating with officers but appears to be confused by their instructions. After raising his hands beside his head, Zeferino takes a moment to remove to his hat. Multiple shots are immediately fired, leaving the suspect dead on the ground.
Zeferino’s family has said the footage clearly indicates that their son was not a threat. The autopsy revealed the presence of alcohol and methamphetamine in his system.
Attorneys for Gardena sought to keep the video sealed, arguing that the city paid the settlement in the belief that it would not be released. But “the fact that they spent the city's money, presumably derived from taxes, only strengthens the public's interest in seeing the videos,” Judge Wilson wrote. “Moreover, while the videos are potentially upsetting and disturbing because of the events they depict, they are not overly gory or graphic in a way that would make them a vehicle for improper purposes.”
In a statement Tuesday, Gardena Police Chief Ed Medrano called the shooting a “tragic” incident. Since then, he added, police officers have received new training and will soon be equipped with body cameras.
Read more about the tape’s release here.