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REPLY TO: ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE WEB PAGE http //orangecountyda.org/ <br /> <br /> <br /> MAIN OFFICE  NORTH OFFICE  WEST OFFICE  HARBOR OFFICE  JUVENILE OFFICE  CENTRAL OFFICE <br />401 CIVIC CENTER DR W 1275 N. BERKELEY AVE. 8141 13TH STREET 4601 JAMBOREE RD. 341 CITY DRIVE SOUTH 401 CIVIC CENTER DR. W <br />P.O. BOX 808 FULLERTON, CA 92832 WESTMINSTER, CA 92683 NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92660 ORANGE, CA 92868 P.O. BOX 808 <br />SANTA ANA, CA 92701 (714) 773-4480 (714) 896-7261 (949) 476-4650 (714) 935-7624 SANTA ANA, CA 92701 <br />(714) 834-3600 (714) 834-3952 <br /> <br />August 12, 2020 <br />Chief David Valentin <br />Santa Ana Police Department <br />60 Civic Center Plaza <br />Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br /> <br />Chief Matthew Sheppard <br />Fountain Valley Police Department <br />102 Slater Avenue <br />Fountain Valley, CA 92708 <br /> <br />Re: Officer-Involved Shooting on January 20, 2020 <br /> Fatal Incident involving Miguel Segura Mercado <br /> District Attorney Investigations Case # S.A. 20-002 <br /> Santa Ana Police Department Case # 20-01709 <br /> Fountain Valley Police Department Case # 20-02516 <br /> Orange County Crime Laboratory Case FR # 20-40926 <br /> Orange County Coroner’s Office Case # 20-00372-MM <br /> <br />Dear Chief Valentin and Chief Sheppard, <br /> <br />Please accept this letter detailing the Orange County District Attorney’s Office’s (OCDA) <br />investigation and legal conclusion in connection with the above-listed incident involving on-duty <br />Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) Officers Gavin Roelofs and Josh Espadas. Miguel Segura <br />Mercado, age 31, died as a result of his injuries. The incident occurred in the City of Fountain <br />Valley on January 20, 2020. <br /> <br />OVERVIEW <br />This letter contains a description of the scope and the legal conclusions resulting from the OCDA’s <br />investigation of the January 20, 2020, fatal officer-involved shooting of Mercado. The letter <br />includes an overview of the OCDA’s investigative methodology and procedures employed, as well <br />as a description of the relevant evidence examined, witnesses interviewed, factual findings, and <br />legal principles applied in analyzing the incident and determining whether there was criminal <br />culpability on the part of the SAPD officers involved in the shooting. The format of this document <br />was developed by the OCDA, at the request of many Orange County police agencies, to foster <br />greater accountability and transparency in law enforcement. <br /> <br />On January 21, 2020, Investigators from the OCDA Special Assignment Unit (OCDASAU) <br />responded to this incident. During the course of this investigation, 18 interviews were conducted, <br />13 of which were supplemental canvass interviews. OCDASAU Investigators also obtained and <br />OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY <br />ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA <br />TODD SPITZER <br />