With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Coroner: LAPD officers contributed to Omar Abrego’s death
An autopsy says LAPD officers played a role in the death of an unarmed man, even though he was suffering from "cocaine toxicity."
(
LAPD
)
Listen
0:52
Coroner: LAPD officers contributed to Omar Abrego’s death
The Los Angeles County Coroner has concluded two LAPD sergeants contributed to the death of an unarmed man arrested August 2nd in South LA.
Omar Abrego died from “acute cocaine intoxication” but also experienced “physical and emotional duress” during his confrontation with police, according to the coroner.
Abrego, 37, had “multiple facial contusions” and a “severe concussion” after the encounter, according to the autopsy. “There is a temporal relationship between the arrest maneuver and death which complicated the acute cocaine intoxication, therefore the manner of death is deemed homicide,” the coroner concluded in a report released late Tuesday.
Abrego’s death occurred a week before the fatal shooting of Ezell Ford by LAPD officers from the same division. Within days, police in Fergeson, Missouri, shot and killed Michael Brown, prompting protestors in LA to draw comparisons between the incidents.
Sponsored message
Shortly after Abrego’s death, the LAPD said two Newton Division sergeants stopped the father of three after he was driving erratically and “at a high rate of speed” in South LA. According to the department, Abrego tried to run away, then fought with the sergeants in the 6900 block of South Main. One sergeant suffered a fractured hand.
“The decedent’s bizarre behavior and agitation is a result of cocaine intoxication,” the coroner said.
The LAPD had placed a security hold on the autopsy, saying they wanted to prevent potential witnesses from being tainted by its contents. The department's Force Investigation Division, Office of the Inspector General and the County District Attorney’s Office continue to investigate the incident.
The Abrego family has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging the LAPD sergeants used excessive force.
Chief Charlie Beck installed a new captain at the LAPD's Newton Division after those two incidents.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
