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Family of Trader Joe's shooting victim in Silver Lake reaches settlement
Photos of Melyda Corado and family members are displayed during a September press conference.
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Mary Plummer
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LAist
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Topline:
The family of Melyda Corado, a Trader Joe's assistant manager who was shot and killed by police in 2018, has reached a $9.5 million settlement with the city of L.A. and the Los Angeles Police Department
Why it matters: Attorneys for the family said this is the largest pre-trial settlement paid by the city in a case involving a police shooting.
Why now: The lawsuit was filed in November 2018, but it took six years of litigation to reach the settlement. The suit was filed by Corado’s father, Salvador Albert Corado, and brother, Albert Corado, who accused the city and police of negligence, violation of civil rights, battery, wrongful death, as well as negligent hiring, training and supervision.
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The backstory: Corado was an assistant manager at the Silver Lake Trader Joe’s and was an innocent bystander during a standoff between police and a gunman who had fired at officers during a 15-minute pursuit. The gunman took cover inside the grocery store, where more than 40 people were trapped inside, and fired at officers again as he ran toward the door.
Police fired back, hitting the gunman in an arm and unintentionally killing Melyda Corado, 27.
What's next: “We will keep her memory alive always,” the Corado family said in a statement. “We hope this settlement sends a loud message to LAPD and all law enforcement agencies across the country that officers must account for their surroundings when firing their guns.”
LAPD said it didn't have a statement regarding the settlement. Meanwhile, the city did not immediately return LAist's request for comment.
Go deeper: Read more about the wrongful-death lawsuit.
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