Before Steelmon opened fire, he said, Lopez reached toward the gun and appeared to be “acquiring the grip,” the report says. Choi faulted Steelmon and several other officers for making serious tactical mistakes leading up to the deadly encounter in Canoga Park. In this case, the review panel concluded that Steelmon was justified, because he and another officer both believed that Lopez was reaching for his gun. But Choi disagreed, contending that Lopez’s actions didn’t rise to the level where a reasonable officer would have used deadly force. As Steelmon was requesting a Spanish-speaking officer, Lopez flinched with his hands and the officer opened fire, the claim said.

Source: Los Angeles Times October 09, 2024 15:33 UTC