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Officers Who Opened Fire At Silver Lake Trader Joe's Acted Lawfully, DA Says
Mely Corado's father, Albert, addresses protesters outside the Trader Joe's in Silver Lake where she was killed in 2018 by a police bullet during a shootout. (Josie Huang/LAist)
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Two LAPD police officers involved in the gunfight at a Silver Lake Trader Joe's in 2018 in which a store employee was killed will not face criminal charges.
In a report from the L.A. County District Attorney's Office released this afternoon, prosecutors found the officers acted lawfully.
The July 21, 2018 incident occurred after suspect Gene Atkins reportedly shot his grandmother and fled the scene in her car. As officers followed in pursuit, police say he fired at their vehicles.
Atkins crashed his car outside the Trader Joe's and fired again at officers as he ran inside the store. Police returned fire, and one of their bullets struck and killed assistant store manager Melyda Corado.
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Atkins then took dozens of employees and customers hostage inside the store, before eventually surrendering to police.
The report is dated Nov. 30. That's about a week before new District Attorney George Gascón was sworn in. Gascón has promised to review more police killings for possible criminal charges against the officers involved.
READ THE FULL REPORT:
READ MORE ABOUT THE CASE:
- Woman Killed During Standoff With Gunman At Silver Lake Trader Joe's
- LAPD Releases Another Highly Edited Video Of The Trader Joe's Shooting
- Protesters Demand Justice For Mely Corado, Trader Joe's Employee Killed By LAPD
- Silver Lake Trader Joe's Shooting Victim's Family Files Lawsuit Against LAPD
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