The shooting death of 18-year-old Andres Guardado, who was killed after running away from sheriff’s deputies at an auto body shop, will be investigated in an official inquest — the first in Los Angeles in more than 30 years.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner called for the inquest “in the interest of public transparency” after questions arose about deputies’ use of force and an autopsy confirmed Guardado had been shot five times in the back. The judicial investigation into the June 2020 incident will be overseen by retired Court of Appeals Justice Candace Cooper.
Guardado was working as an informal security guard at an auto body shop on the day of the shooting, which came amid weeks of demonstrations over the death of George Floyd. Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies pursued Guardado after he “produced a handgun,” looked toward the deputies and ran out the shop’s front door, said Capt. Kent Wegener of the LASD Homicide Bureau.
The Medical Examiner-Coroner will subpoena witnesses and relevant documents to present at the inquest, which begins on Nov. 30. Justice Cooper will then make findings related to the circumstances, cause and manner of death, according to a news release.
“The Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner is committed to transparency and providing the residents of Los Angeles County an independent assessment of its findings in this case,” said Dr. Jonathan Lucas, L.A. County’s Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner.
When conducting the initial investigation into the fatal shooting, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department requested a security hold be placed on the case, which kept the autopsy report and cause of death from being released. In an unusual move, Dr. Lucas opted to remove the security hold and make Guardado’s autopsy results public in July.
L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva told CNN in June that releasing the autopsy results would taint witness testimony.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement to CNN on Wednesday that “Sheriff Villanueva is committed to transparency.”
“As such, he previously recommended and invites the process of a Medical Examiner’s inquest,” the statement said. “This process can be beneficial in bringing to light facts to the public. Medical Examiner inquests are conducted to determine manner and case of death. Although, the Medical Examiner has already determined the manner and cause of death of Mr. Guardado in their completed report, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas introduced a motion directing the Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner inquest to again determine the manner and cause of death. On Wednesday, August 20, 2020, our Department held a press conference to share the facts of the investigation as they knew them at that time. We welcome and will fully participate in the inquest.”
Guardado’s family has been demanding transparency in his death.
“In the nearly five months since Andres Guardado was killed, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has failed to be transparent in its investigation into the circumstances, manner and cause of Andres’ death,” Adam Shea, an attorney for the family, said in a statement.
“The Guardado family remains diligent in seeking justice for Andres and hopeful that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will change its course of conduct for this independent investigation by formal inquest. The veil of secrecy must be lifted.”
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