False Report Of Dead Body leads To Deadly Banning Police Shooting

BANNING, CALIFORNIA (October 5, 2023) – A man has tragically died in a Banning police shooting after a report of a dead body near the Morongo Band of Mission Indians.

Riverside County police officials are saying that the incident began around 5:45 a.m. on Friday. Police were called to the scene after getting a report of a dead body.

Banning police encountered a man in his 50’s and an officer involved shooting occurred. It remains unclear what lead up to the shooting.

Paramedics were called to the scene in order to help the man. Sadly, he was pronounced dead at the scene. It was later determined that the report of a body in the area was false.

A full investigation into the incident remains ongoing at this time.

 

Liability For Riverside County Police Shootings

Far too many people are killed or seriously injured every year in California. Many of the police officers involved in these shootings are overly zealous. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, “Of the over 78,000 law enforcement officers in California, about 80 are arrested each year; assault is the most common reason for arrest. Data on arrested officers do not capture the full range of police misconduct.” Police departments should take a number of steps to prevent fatal shootings.

• Officers should be trained to de-escalate encounters with suspects.
• Officers should have less-lethal alternatives to their firearm.
• Officers should be trained to wait for backup in most high-risk situations.

Every person in California has a right to live free of excessive force exercised under the color of law. Accordingly, police officers must always use the least amount of force necessary for a given situation. If a police officer fails to follow a safety rule promulgated by their employer, this could create the basis of a civil claim. Consider, for example, People v. Brown, 245 Cal. App. 4th 140, 171 (Ct. App. 2016). In particular, there are rules with respect to how police officers should interact with someone in the midst of a mental health crisis. It is important that evidence is properly preserved after any police shooting.

• Body camera footage from all officers involved should be reviewed.
• The actions of officers leading up to the shooting should be understood.
• It should be determined if the police officers involved have a disciplinary record.
• Medical records related to the shooting should be reviewed.

Officers that are poorly trained are much more likely to be involved in police shootings. Sadly, it is common for police departments to do everything that they can to deny liability if their officer kills a suspect. In far too many situations, they will blame the victim. However, many police shootings do involve excessive force. The family of any person that died in a police shooting may have legal recourse through a wrongful death claim.

 

Investigating Riverside County Police Shootings

We at the Sehat Law Firm extend our deepest condolences to the family of the man that died in this Banning police shooting. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what happened. So many questions remain unanswered.

Do you need more information about a Banning police shooting? Our team of civil rights attorneys are here for you. We focus on helping people who have been harmed by police abuses of power. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any incident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (949) 825-5200.