L.A. Deputy Remin Pineda was charged on November 9th with a felony count of assault with a semi-automatic firearm in the death of David Ordaz Jr., 34, in March 2021.
Ordaz's family had called the police because he was having a mental health crisis and had a knife. His sister, Hilda Pedroza, reported that he was suicidal. Pineda is accused of continuing to shoot Ordaz after he had dropped his knife and had fallen to the ground. Pineda fired a total of twelve rounds into Ordaz, whose back was to the deputies when he died.
Ordaz's family had witnessed the entire standoff and his death.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón stated, "This tragic killing of Mr. Ordaz in the presence of his own family has caused tremendous harm that will reverberate for years to come."
The tragic murder of David Ordaz Jr. is just one of many cases of law enforcement proving to be callously unequipped to handle mental health crises without murdering the person who needs help.