LA County Sheriff Reaches Out To Attorney General To Monitor Investigation Into Death Of Andres Guardado, 18, Shot By Deputy
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) -- Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Monday that he has reached out to the California Attorney General's Office to monitor the investigation into the deadly shooting of 18-year-old Andres Guardado by an LASD deputy in Gardena last week.
Villanueva said in a tweet, "Out of an abundance of caution, I reached out to Attorney General Xavier Becerra for monitoring of the Guardado investigation. I am committed to transparency and strengthening community faith in the investigative process."
There were protests in Compton and Gardena over the weekend in response to Guardado's death.
While demonstrations were mostly peaceful but after police declared an unlawful assembly, six arrests were made for unlawful assembly and one for resisting arrest.
According to the LASD, deputies spotted Guardado on June 18 with an unregistered loaded gun while they were out on patrol near an auto body shop, and he led them on a foot chase before getting shot six times in his upper torso.
Guardado's family has denied statements from the LASD that the 18-year-old was armed at the time and they said he was outside the shop working as a private security guard.
A family attorney for Guardado sent a statement saying in part that "the family of Andres Guardado demands answers. They demand accountability. They demand, and deserve, full transparency from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department regarding the facts surrounding the death of this young man. We will not rest until these facts are fully disclosed."
LASD said he was not wearing identifying clothing as a security guard and did not have any record of a license to be working as a security guard in California, which would require him to be at least 21 years old.
The investigation into Guardado's death is still underway and an autopsy is expected soon to offer more information on the incident.
