The mother of a man who allegedly was carrying two sticks when he was fatally shot by Los Angeles police in Lake Balboa is suing the city and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck.
Maria Delores Ramirez, the mother of 38-year-old Luis Alberto Ramirez, filed the lawsuit Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court. The complaint also names Officer Joshue Towe and alleges wrongful death, negligence and civil rights violations. The suit seeks unspecified damages and compensation for burial expenses.
An LAPD spokeswoman declined to comment on the lawsuit today.
The suit states that officers were sent to the 6700 block of Hayvenhurst Avenue about 3:30 a.m. July 25 on a report of a vandal in the area.
An officer ordered Ramirez to drop one of the sticks he was carrying, then turned on his stun gun, the suit states. A second officer fired a “beanbag” round at Ramirez and the third, Towe, shot him with a regular gun, the suit states.
“(Ramirez) was unarmed other than allegedly carrying two sticks,” the suit states.
The suit alleges Beck and the LAPD did not properly train the officers on approaching people who were likely impaired by some manner, who spoke only Spanish and were armed with non-lethal devices.
The LAPD issued a statement three days after the shooting, saying Ramirez was shot when he lunged at one of the officers.
