One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
Man Sues LAPD For Injuries Suffered At George Floyd Protest In Hollywood
Still from LAPD body camera footage, showing officer shooting Benjamin Montemayor with a projectile.
(
YouTube
/
Courtesy LAPD
)
L.A. filmmaker Benjamin Montemayor is suing LAPD for allegedly injuring him at a protest held in Hollywood last June following the killing of George Floyd.
Montemayor says officers shot him in the groin at close range with a 40 mm hard-foam projectile while he was peacefully protesting, rupturing his testicle.
Montemayor's attorney Dan Stormer says it was unprovoked attack that required immediate surgery:
"It is an act that the chief of police, Michel Moore, has determined to be 'in policy.' It is one of over 11,000 of these projectiles that were shot during the course of the protests."
The lawsuit alleges excessive force and civil rights violations. Stormer says the damages sought for surgery and emotional distress will be in the seven-figure range.
LAist has reached out to LAPD for comment, but has not yet heard back. The department has previously said that crowd control training has been provided to thousands of officers and command staff since the protests.
Stormer's office says you can see the shot officers fired at Montemayor in LAPD's body worn video footage below at the 4-minute, 32-second mark:
Sponsored message
An independent report released last month found the LAPD was ill-prepared for the summer protests over the killing of George Floyd and that led to the improper use of force against peaceful protesters, as well as the unlawful detention of thousands of demonstrators.
Read the complaint
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
