LOS ANGELES, CA — Without discussion, the county Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved a $12.5 million payment to settle a lawsuit filed by relatives of a man who was fatally shot in East Los Angeles by sheriff's deputies, one of whom later pleaded no contest to a pair of felonies stemming from the shooting.
David Ordaz, 34, was fatally shot on March 14, 2021, in full view of his relatives, who said he was in the midst of a mental health crisis at the time. The family claimed in its federal lawsuit that Ordaz, a father of three, was shot in the back while lying on the ground, posing no threat to responding deputies.
One of the deputies involved in the shooting, Remin Pineda, was charged in 2022 with assault with a semiautomatic firearm and assault under color of authority. He pleaded no contest to the charges in 2024 and was sentenced to two years probation. He was also ordered to perform 250 hours of community service and undergo one year of psychological counseling, give up his certification as a peace officer and write an apology to Ordaz's family.
The family opposed the plea deal, saying they wanted to see Pineda receive a harsher sentence.
Attorneys for the county recommended the Board of Supervisors approve the $12.5 million settlement, "given the high risks and uncertainty of litigation."
Sheriff's deputies went to the family's home in response to a call from Ordaz's relatives, who reported that he was suicidal and had a knife, authorities said.
Two deputies initially fired bean-bag rounds at Ordaz when he walked toward them while holding the knife, according to a statement released by the District Attorney's Office shortly after the case was filed against Pineda in 2022.
Ordaz allegedly continued to advance on deputies with the knife, drawing gunfire from multiple deputies, authorities said.
Prosecutors said Pineda continued to fire his weapon after Ordaz had fallen to the ground and dropped the knife.
Video of the shooting was posted on YouTube. The sheriff's department also later released body-camera footage from the shooting scene.
The family's federal lawsuit against the sheriff's department contended that deputies used excessive force.
"In fact, the coroner's report shows that all of the bullets except two, struck him on the back and on the side and the final bullet as visualized in the video shows a helpless David Ordaz Jr. looking up from the pavement without any weapon, and the killing shot was fired into his chest," the lawsuit alleges.
Body-worn camera footage indicates at least 10 rounds were fired, including a single shot fired immediately after the flurry of gunfire had stopped and Ordaz was lying face up on the sidewalk, holding his shoulder.
Then-Sheriff Alex Villanueva said in 2021 that he had "grave concerns" about the circumstances of the shooting.
City News Service
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