19-Year-Old Who Claimed Deputies Shot Him Will Be Charged With Filing False Police Report
LAWNDALE (CBS) — A 19-year-old man who claimed he was shot and wounded by sheriff's deputies in a drive-by in Lawndale will face charges for filing a false police report, officials said Sunday.
Manuel Muroz was arrested for a traffic warrant. Once in custody, he told Los Angeles police officers he had been shot by sheriff's deputies.
"Nuroz, a self-admitted gang member...alleged that sheriff's 'gang cops' shot him in a 'drive-by' from a marked black and white patrol car on Nov. 6," said Captain Mike Parker of the Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau.
The LAPD officers notified the sheriff's department's internal affairs bureau and an investigation began.
"Sheriff's Lt. Richard Westin...met with Muroz and was shown two partially healed gunshot wounds on the body of Muroz," Parker said. "Muroz repeated his allegation against deputies and returned with Lt. Westin to the scene in Lawndale where he said the shooting took place."
Parker said further investigation revealed Muroz had indeed been shot in that area, but not by deputies.
"Multiple witnesses had reported that Muroz and another man were walking on Firmona Avenue at 172nd Street when the occupants of a black Honda with chrome rims stopped and briefly talked to Muroz," Parker said.
Someone in the car fired multiple shots, striking Muroz twice before fleeing the scene. The shooting was immediately reported, and none of the witnesses reported seeing a sheriff's patrol car at the time of the shooting, Parker said. The shooting remains unsolved.
Parker said even when confronted with the facts, Muroz maintained his allegation of being shot by on-duty sheriff's deputies.
The District Attorney's office filed one misdemeanor count of filing a false police report against Muroz. He is scheduled to appear in court in Torrance March 1 at 8:30 a.m.
Muroz's motive for maintaining the allegation was unknown.
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