On Friday, the Los Angeles Police Department released footage showing a confrontation between officers and a detainee, Jose Carlos Hoyos-Munoz, leading to his death in a San Fernando Valley jail cell. This incident, along with another fatal encounter, prompted Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to call for an independent review.
A police representative stated that officers at the Van Nuys Regional Jail resorted to forceful measures when Hoyos-Munoz, 58, was uncooperative and spit at them. The released footage shows officers repeatedly restraining Hoyos-Munoz after erratic behavior in his cell on July 15. The officers proceeded to strike him several times while he was handcuffed.
After an altercation, officers placed a hood over his head due to his spitting. He remained on the ground with his hands cuffed behind him. Later, officers returned to find him unconscious and unresponsive. He was declared dead at the location.
Concurrently, another video portrayed a separate incident involving the fatal shooting of Alejandro Luis Garcia, leading Mayor Bass to comment on both events. She remarked that the footage was difficult to watch and stressed on long-standing issues in mental health services leading to such tragedies.
“Decades of disinvestment in community-based mental and behavioral health services have left many without proper care, increasing their interactions with law enforcement,” Bass stated.
Bass emphasized that these deaths highlighted the consequences when mental health crises are not tackled appropriately. She stated that when encounters result in severe outcomes, policies, training, and accountability must be reviewed intensively.
Mayor Bass issued an executive order advocating for an independent evaluation of officer-involved fatalities and serious injuries, especially those involving individuals in distress. The objective is to identify systemic shortcomings and reinforce safety for the public and officers.
Background on Hoyos-Munoz’s Encounter
The series of events leading to Hoyos-Munoz’s arrest began two days prior, on July 13. Officers were summoned to his family’s Chatsworth residence where he allegedly injured relatives. SWAT intervened using tear gas to apprehend him. At the time of arrest, he exhibited signs of distress.
Though initially calm when led into detention, Hoyos-Munoz resisted at various points inside his cell, according to LAPD spokesperson Capt. Michael Bland. This led to the use of force, as officers subdued and restrained him.
Investigation and Subsequent Actions
Although video showed Hoyos-Munoz motionless after officers left, officers noted signs of life for 20 minutes. Ultimately, he was discovered unresponsive. The Medical Examiner has not finalized the cause of death, pending further evaluation.
The LAPD is conducting an internal investigation. Furthermore, the state’s In-Custody Death Review Division is also examining the case.
The Incident Involving Garcia
Separately, footage released also documented the moments before 33-year-old Alejandro Garcia was shot. Police were alerted to his actions of striking car windows with a baseball bat. Despite attempts to dissuade him, he advanced towards officers, leading them to fire shots.
This incident has also generated controversy as released footage contradicts previous police statements regarding Garcia’s actions at the time of the shooting. The LAPD has withheld the identity of the officers involved.