By Eamonn Burke
18 year old Andres Guardado was killed by a deputy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff on June 18. Guardado was spotted by a Sheriff in front of a business with a gun in his pants on the night of his death, and allegedly pulled the handgun on police when they investigated, and resisted commands. He then ran, and a chase ensued, which ended in 6 rounds being shot at the teen and him being provinces dead at the scene.
“I don’t know — it’s still not real. I close my eyes and I hope and I pray that it’s not really happening,” said Guardado’s cousin Celina Abarca as she teared up.
It is known that Guardado was a security guard, but at the time he was not wearing a uniform or safety equipment, and he was not yet 21, the age at which a security guard can be armed in Los Angeles. So far no video evidence has surfaced, but authorities have been looking for footage. According to Sheriff Alex Villanueva, this should be yet another reason for body cameras, which the department does not currently have.
The sheriff’s department has not been cooperative in the aftermath. Their “security hold” on Guardado’s autopsy has moved the family to seek an independent one, saying that there was a lack of transparency between the two parties. Miguel Vega, Guardado’s murderer, has still not spoken to investigators. However, an attorney representing the other sheriff involved, has spoken, saying the encounter was “a justified shooting at the wrong time” and that the Sheriff’s department is “very sorry for the loss of life, sorry for the (Guardado) family.”
Protests demanding justice for Guardado have added to the nationwide reckoning against police brutality, specifically against people of color.
