California Department of Justice Releases Report on Officer-Involved Shooting of Guillermo De Jesus Medina

OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta, pursuant to Assembly Bill 1506 (AB 1506), today released a report on Guillermo De Jesus Medina’s death from an officer-involved shooting in Culver City, California, on December 18, 2022. The incident involved officers from the Culver City Police Department (CCPD). The report is part of the California Department of Justice's (DOJ) ongoing efforts to provide transparency and accountability in law enforcement practices. The report provides a detailed analysis of the incident and outlines DOJ's findings. After a thorough investigation, DOJ concluded that criminal charges were not appropriate in this case.

“We acknowledge that this incident posed challenges for all parties involved, including Mr. Medina’s family, law enforcement, and the community,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Loss of life is always a tragedy. The California Department of Justice remains steadfast in our commitment to working together with all law enforcement partners to ensure an unbiased, transparent, and accountable legal system for every resident of California.”  

On December 18, 2022, at approximately 12:19 AM, Culver City Police Department officers responded to a 911 call stating that a man was banging on a door and carrying a gun. Officers gave Mr. Medina multiple commands, which he ignored, then entered his car and led officers on a vehicle pursuit. During the pursuit, Mr. Medina hit a center divider and exited his vehicle, leading officers on a foot pursuit. At approximately 1:30 AM, Mr. Medina turned towards officers with a black object in his hand and was fatally shot. The black object was ultimately determined to be a cell phone. 

Under AB 1506, which requires DOJ to investigate all incidents of officer-involved shootings resulting in the death of an unarmed civilian in the state, DOJ conducted a thorough investigation into this incident and concluded that the evidence does not show, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officer involved acted without the intent to defend himself and others from what he reasonably believed to be imminent death or serious bodily injury. Therefore, there is insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution of the officer. As such, no further action will be taken in this case. 

As part of its investigation, the DOJ has identified a policy recommendation that it believes will help prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. This recommendation is: 
 
INTER-JURISDICTIONAL PURSUIT COMMUNICATIONS 
It is recommended that CCPD provide refresher training regarding communications and notifications among the allied agencies involved in an inter-jurisdictional pursuit. 

A copy of the report can be found here.