Fatal Deputy Shooting in East LA May Prompt A Federal Lawsuit

A fatal shooting by L.A. Sheriff's deputies will likely result in a federal wrongful death lawsuit against the county.

David Ordaz, Jr., 34, was killed in front of his family's East L.A. home Sunday after relatives had called for help because they feared he might take his own life, said family attorney Federico Sayre.

Instead, Ordaz was “executed,” he said.

The Sheriff's Department said deputies opened fire when Ordaz charged at them while holding a kitchen knife.

But bystander video obtained by Fox News does not clearly show Ordaz charging at deputies.

And Sayre said based on video of the incident he’d seen, the department's claim that Ordaz had charged the deputies was “nonsensical.”

L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said the investigation is in its preliminary stages, and that the shooting was captured on body-worn cameras.

READ OUR FULL STORY ON THE PLANNED LAWSUIT:

• 'It Was Murder' — Family Of East L.A. Man Killed By Sheriff's Deputies Plans To Sue

If You Need Immediate Help
If you or someone you know is in crisis and need immediate help, call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or go here for online chat.
For more help:

• Find 5 Action Steps for helping someone who may be suicidal, from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
• Six questions to ask to help assess the severity of someone's suicide risk, from the Columbia Lighthouse Project.
• To prevent a future crisis, here's how to help someone make a safety plan.

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