Los Angeles

Officers Involved in Deadly Shooting Will Not Face Criminal Charges

Ezell Ford, 25, was fatally shot by police in South Los Angeles on Aug. 11, 2014

Prosecutors on Tuesday declined to file criminal charges against the officers involved in the 2014 fatal shooting of a man during a struggle over an officer's gun, officials said.

In a partially redacted 28-page report, prosecutors said Officers Sharlton Wampler and Antonio Villegas shot Ezell Ford, 25, lawfully in self-defense and in defense of others in South Los Angeles on Aug. 11, 2014.

Tritobia Ford, Ezell Ford's mother, said the DA kept her promise to call her but she is more angry and distrustful of the justice system.

"My son was unarmed," she said. "He was murdered. It was unwarranted. It was unjustified. My son didn't have a gun."

Lacey said that the officers had a right to defend themselves.

"It was not a close call because we believe we had evidence that Mr. Ford was struggling with the officer over possession of that gun," she said.

In a statement, the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union that represents rank-and-file officers, applauded Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey's decision.

"The evidence indicates that Ford was on top of Wampler, struggling to obtain Wampler's primary service weapon and posing an immediate threat to his safety and his partner's safety," the union said. "In fear for their lives, Villegas and Wampler each responded with deadly force.

"No officer ever wants to be put in a dangerous situation where they must struggle to maintain control of their weapon, but officers must be allowed to protect themselves, their partners and the public."

The union noted that last year, 140 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty, and 63 of those were killed by gunfire.

Ford was killed after a struggle with the officers.

The officers had been in the neighborhood known for gangs and drugs.

They initially tried to stop Ford for questioning when he was seen leaving a gang hangout but became suspicious when he looked in the direction of the officers, walked away and the officers saw him trying to conceal his hands.

Ford was shot when he tried to remove Wampler's pistol from its holster during a struggle, the report said.

Villegas fired his gun at Ford after Wampler yelled out that Ford had his gun, police said.

While on the ground, Wampler grabbed his backup weapon, reached around Ford and fired a shot at close range, striking Ford in the back, the LAPD said.

In November, Ford's family reached a tentative settlement with the city of Los Angeles over a civil rights and wrongful death lawsuit in which they alleged their son was killed while lying on the ground unarmed.

According to the lawsuit filed in March 2015, Wampler and Villegas — who were named defendants along with the city and LAPD — "intentionally and/or negligently fatally shot unarmed decedent Ezell Ford multiple times with their firearms" after he had complied with their order to lie on the ground.

The officers knew Ford was "mentally challenged" and that he was not committing a crime at the time, the lawsuit stated.

The shooting prompted several protests and calls for a speedy and transparent investigation. Activists have contended that eyewitnesses dispute the police account of events.

Lolita Lopez and NBC4 News Services contributed to this report.

Copyright CNS - City News Service
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