COMPTON — Dozens of demonstrators took part in a protest July 26 calling for the arrest of the deputy who fatally shot 18-year-old Andres Guardado in the back five times near Gardena in June.
The protesters marched about three miles from East Rancho Dominguez Park to the Compton Sheriff’s Station.
The demonstration began around noon with about 50 people assembling in the park, Cliff Smith, an organizer with the Coalition for Community Control Over Police, said.
Smith said the demonstrators want criminal charges filed against Deputy Miguel Vega, the man who shot Guardado.
Against Sheriff Alex Villanueva’s wishes, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office released an autopsy report earlier this month confirming that Guardado was shot five times in the back, and ruling the death a homicide.
Guardado was shot at 6 p.m. June 18 near the 400 block of West Redondo Beach Boulevard by Deputy Miguel Vega, whose partner, Deputy Chris Hernandez, was also at the scene but did not open fire.
Sheriff’s officials have said the patrol deputies were at the scene in a marked vehicle and saw Guardado speaking to someone in a car blocking the entrance to a body shop. Investigators allege Guardado pulled out a handgun, then began running. Deputies chased him and caught up with him in an alley, where the shooting occurred.
Sheriff’s officials said a weapon was discovered at the scene — an unregistered .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol with a polymer frame and no serial number, a Smith & Wesson slide and a prohibited 15-round Glock magazine.
Officials have said there is no evidence Guardado fired any shots.
The county Board of Supervisors passed a resolution on June 23 calling for an independent investigation into the fatal shooting. FBI officials have also said they are reviewing the shooting.
Wave Wire Services
