Ex-sheriff’s deputy gets probation in 2021 East LA fatal shooting

A former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy who fatally shot a 34-year-old East Los Angeles man who was experiencing a mental health crisis will not serve prison time under a plea deal approved by a judge Tuesday.

Remin Pineda, 40, pleaded no contest to two felony counts of assault in connection with the death of David Ordaz, Jr. and was placed on probation for a term of two years. During that time, he will have to complete 250 hours of community service and mandatory psychological counseling.

Pineda is barred from working in law enforcement ever again.

The former deputy was charged with one felony count each of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and assault under color of authority in 2022, about 20 months after the March 2021 shooting. He faced up to nine years in state prison if convicted.

Keep up with LAist.

If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.

Subscribe

The hearing

At the hearing Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Ordaz’s sister begged the judge not to approve the plea deal, saying the family was furious, saddened and disappointed by the offer.

“This trauma is going to affect us for generations,” Hilda Pedroza said. “Let us have hope in this justice system.”

Judge Mark Arnold said in court that he had “agonized” over the case before approving the deal and told the family there were no winners in this situation.

“I feel badly for all of you but there’s nothing more to say,” he said.

Last fall, a different judge rejected a plea deal for Pineda that also did not include jail time.

Pineda was one of several deputies who responded to Ordaz’s family home after his sister, Pedroza, called for help on March 14, 2021. Ordaz was experiencing a mental health crisis and was holding a knife. Pedroza thought he might harm himself. An attorney formerly representing the family said Ordaz had been diagnosed with anxiety and panic disorder.

Deputies fired beanbags and then live rounds at Ordaz, who fell to the ground. He was taken to a local hospital where he died.

L.A County District Attorney George Gascón filed criminal charges against Pineda, noting that the deputy was accused of continuing to fire his handgun “after Ordaz fell to the ground, dropped the knife and laid with his back facing the deputies.”

It’s rare for prosecutors to file charges against a member of law enforcement.

Ordaz’s family strongly opposed the plea deal, arguing that Pineda should serve time in prison or have to face a jury trial.

The day before the hearing, Ordaz’s family held a news conference in front of the Hall of Justice in downtown L.A. to call on the district attorney’s office to pursue prison time and/or a jury trial in the case.

Details on the shooting

On the day of the shooting, Pedroza said she became worried after Ordaz told her he had a knife. She was worried he might try to kill himself. Pedroza tried to get help every way she knew how that day, including taking her brother to the hospital, but when they arrived he wouldn't get out of the car, she said.

Pedroza said that eventually she had nowhere else to turn than law enforcement.

After arriving on scene and first firing beanbags at Ordaz, deputies opened fire with live rounds. The Sheriff's Department said deputies opened fire when he charged at them while holding the knife.

A cellphone video taken by a bystander and shared by the Ordaz family appears to show him holding a knife while standing on the sidewalk. He’s facing deputies in the street, who are just out of frame.

A deputy fires two bean bags at him. Ordaz, Jr. stumbles backward, turns and begins to run up the sidewalk. The deputies start shooting live rounds, hitting him several times.

Pineda kept shooting as Ordaz fell to the ground.

Ordaz’s parents, two sisters, two brothers and other relatives witnessed the shooting.

Ordaz’s family speaks out

Emily Ordaz, Ordaz’s daughter, has been an outspoken activist calling for law enforcement accountability in fatal shootings during the nearly four years since her father was killed by sheriff’s deputies.

Emily Ordaz spoke at a press conference in front of the Hall of Justice on Tuesday.

Aside from holding rallies in support of her father, Emily Ordaz has also appeared at protests for other law enforcement shooting victims and their families. She said she believed keeping her father’s story in the public spotlight helped lead to Pineda being charged.

“I’m going to stick to what I know. And that’s doing these press conferences, protesting, doing interviews,” Ordaz said. ”Anything I can do to bring my dad’s story forward.”