OAKLAND
California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Monday charged a former Los Angeles Police Department officer in the fatal shooting of a 32-year-old mentally disabled man at Costco.
Felony charges were filed against Salvador Sanchez as a result of an off-duty shooting that happened during a Costco shopping trip in Corona in 2019, according to state prosecutors in Oakland.
Sanchez is charged with alleged voluntary manslaughter and assault with a semiautomatic firearm, officials stated.
Sanchez was arrested Monday morning in Riverside County.
A Riverside County grand jury had declined to indict Sanchez. French lived at home with his parents and had the mental capabilities of a teenager, according to relatives, according to the Los Angeles Times
“Where there’s reason to believe a crime has been committed, we will seek justice,” said Attorney General Bonta. “That’s exactly what these charges are about: pursuing justice after an independent and thorough review of the evidence and the law.”
Adding, “Ultimately, any loss of life is a tragedy, and being licensed to carry a gun doesn’t mean you’re not accountable for how you use it. No matter who you are, nobody is above the law.”
According to court documents, on June 14, 2019, Sanchez, while off-duty, shot and killed 32-year-old Kenneth French inside a Costco.
Sanchez also shot and wounded Kenneth’s parents, 58-year-old Russell and 59-year-old Paola.
Sanchez is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Following a review of the incident by the Attorney General’s Office, Sanchez now faces a total of three felony charges for his actions that resulted in the death of one individual and the serious injury of two others.
To Review the Criminal Complaint, Click Here: https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/Sanchez%20Complaint_Signed.pdf
(NEWS REPORT JUNE 2019)
(NEWS REPORT AUGUST 2019)