Off-duty LAPD officer who shot man at Corona store identified -

Published on Tuesday, August 26, 2008
By PAIGE AUSTIN

CORONA - An off-duty Los Angeles police officer who shot and killed an unarmed man in Corona after a hit-and-run collision was placed on leave while three law enforcement agencies investigate.

The Los Angeles Police Department on Tuesday identified the officer as Antonio Mendez, an employee of two years with the LAPD's Office of Operations. As is standard in officer-involved shootings, Mendez was placed on administrative leave, said Officer Ana Aguirre, an LAPD spokeswoman.

His fate depends on whether the shooting was justified and whether he followed his police department's guidelines for off-duty officers, Aguirre said.

"It's our job to try to determine whether the homicide was justified or whether it's manslaughter," said Riverside County sheriff's Investigator Jerry Franchville.

The LAPD's manual gives wide discretion to off-duty officers who maintain their police powers and responsibility to protect the public Read Full Article...

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