La Mesa Police ID Officer Who Shot Woman With Police Beanbag

LA MESA, CA — The La Mesa Police Department Wednesday released uniform-worn camera footage showing an officer firing a crowd-control projectile at a woman, seriously injuring her, during a violent police brutality protest two months ago.

Also on Wednesday afternoon, the department publicly identified the La Mesa police officer who fired the round at 59-year-old Leslie Furcron during rioting that erupted outside LMPD headquarters during the May 30 demonstration.

Detective Eric Knudson, a 12-year member of the department, has been placed on paid leave pending completion of investigations into the matter, La Mesa Police Department Chief Walt Vasquez said.

Until late Wednesday afternoon, the department had rejected calls for public release of the detective's name by numerous parties — notably Furcron, who filed court papers seeking the disclosure while also calling for the firing of the officer who had left her hospitalized.

The legal petition stated that Furcron suffered facial fractures when struck by the so-called beanbag round, was left with prolonged loss of vision in her left eye and expected to "face a lifetime of recovery from the injuries."

The trauma suffered by the La Mesa grandmother prompted widespread outrage after cellphone video showing her lying on the ground in a parking lot outside LMPD headquarters, blood streaming down her face, went viral.

The police department began an immediate internal investigation into the matter and took Knudson off active duty pending completion of that probe, Vasquez said.

A review by the District Attorney's Office will determine if Knudson will face criminal charges for his actions during the chaos of the riot.

According to La Mesa police, officer-worn camera footage captured images of Furcron hurling something across the parking lot just before Knudson discharged the beanbag round — a type of ammunition known in law enforcement parlance as "less lethal" than ordinary gunfire.

In releasing the new information in the case, La Mesa police noted that the protest had devolved into violence, looting and arson prior to the wounding of Furcron.

"For ... several hours, officers were continuously attacked and struck with large (baseball- to softball-sized) rocks, water bottles (many of which were frozen), and pots and pans," department officials asserted in a prepared statement.

"The police station was seriously vandalized, to include acts of arson, spray painting and the breaking of windows. ... La Mesa City Hall and (its) council chambers sustained extensive fire and looting damage."

Protesters burglarized businesses, smashed many windows and set fire to two banks in downtown La Mesa.

Video footage released by police Wednesday afternoon showed officers clad in riot gear and armed with rifles dodging what appeared to be stones the size of oranges, or larger.

In a video statement that accompanied the release of the dramatic video, Vasquez struck a conciliatory note, promising to "continue to pray for Ms. Furcron in hopes that she continues to heal and makes a full recovery with her family at home."

"It is my hope that we will continue to heal the wounds, nurture an environment of open communication and make La Mesa a safer place to live," Vasquez chief said.

Related coverage:

• La Mesa Woman Shot With Police Beanbag Seeks Name Of Cop
• La Mesa Woman Shot In Police Protest Released From Hospital
• Family Of Woman Shot By Police Projectile Calls For Justice

— City News Service