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HomeMy WebLinkAboutInt Ofc Salvador Lopez by Tabb S.A. 15-005 Investigator: VIVIAN TABB Approved By: Date of Report:03/25/2015 Date: 04/07/2015 Page 1 of 3 CASE NAME: OSORIO, BENITO CLASSIFICATION: OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING (FATAL) INTERVIEW OF: SALVADOR LOPEZ, POLICE OFFICER SANTA ANA POLICE DEPARTMENT PRESENT: LEO RODRIGUEZ, DETECTIVE CORPORAL SANTA ANA POLICE DEPARTMENT DATE AND TIME: MARCH 11, 2015 1822 - 1835 HOURS LOCATION: SANTA ANA POLICE DEPARTMENT On the listed date and time, I conducted an audio digitally recorded interview of Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) Officer SALVADOR LOPEZ in reference to the officer involved shooting investigation of BENITO OSORIO. LOPEZ provided his statement freely and voluntarily. The following is a summary of the interview: LOPEZ has been a Santa Ana Police Officer for approximately 5 years, and is currently assigned to the civic center patrol. On Wednesday, March 11, 2015, LOPEZ was on duty and was wearing a Santa Ana Police Department modified uniform consisting of jeans and a black polo shirt with the lettering Santa Ana Police Department across the back, Santa Ana Police Department patches on each sleeve, and a Santa Ana Police Department badge on the upper left side of his shirt. At approximately 1256 hours, LOPEZ was in the area of 17th Street, and Flower Street, in Santa Ana, when he heard a radio call of an assault with a deadly weapon in the area of South Cypress Street. LOPEZ responded to the area when he heard over the radio; officers had stopped the suspect vehicle, a white Toyota pick-up truck, in the area of Main Street and Pine Avenue. Additional information was relayed that the suspect had shot himself in the chin. ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION INTERVIEW REPORT S.A. 15-005 Investigator: VIVIAN TABB Approved By: Date of Report:03/25/2015 Date: 04/07/2015 Page 2 of 3 Officer LOPEZ arrived on scene and positioned his vehicle on Pine Avenue, just west of Main Street to stop traffic from entering onto Main Street. LOPEZ exited his vehicle and walked south to the north side of the bakery, west of where the suspect vehicle was stopped. LOPEZ saw SAPD Officer SHIFFLET take a position behind a tree, facing eastbound, toward the suspect vehicle. LOPEZ positioned himself approximately 10 feet north of Officer SHIFFLET, behind a blue, Ford Econoline van, giving himself a clear view of the male suspect, later identified as BENITO OSORIO, sitting in the driver’s seat of the white pick-up truck. LOPEZ estimated he was approximately 3 traffic lanes east of where OSORIO’s vehicle was stopped. LOPEZ observed OSORIO bleeding severely from the face and moving around inside the truck. LOPEZ saw OSORIO raise a gray colored object to the right side of his face, and he was moving his mouth. LOPEZ was not sure if OSORIO was talking on a telephone or making facial gestures in pain. He heard officers saying in English, “Drop the gun, don’t do it, don’t do it.” A few moments later, OSORIO opened the driver’s door and exited the vehicle facing west and then turned south. LOPEZ could not see OSORIO’s hands at this time, because the open truck door was blocking the view of the center of his body and hands. LOPEZ had his weapon drawn, pointed at OSORIO. LOPEZ considered OSORIO had already shot himself, and the call was for an assault with a deadly weapon, and LOPEZ knew OSORIO had a gun. LOPEZ heard commands in English, “Drop the gun, drop the gun.” A few seconds later, LOPEZ heard the sound of gun shots for 1-2 seconds, but did not know how many gunshots he heard. Once the shots were fired, LOPEZ saw OSORIO lean forward, away from the door which brought OSORIO’s body and hands into LOPEZ’ view for a few seconds. LOPEZ saw OSORIO holding what appeared to be a handgun. He saw OSORIO stand upright for 1-2 seconds, drop to his knees and fall face down. LOPEZ saw officer’s approach and handcuff OSORIO, shortly afterwards the paramedics arrived on scene to treat OSORIO. S.A. 15-005 Investigator: VIVIAN TABB Approved By: Date of Report:03/25/2015 Date: 04/07/2015 Page 3 of 3 LOPEZ was prepared to take action because he feared OSORIO had a gun when he heard officers saying, “Drop the gun” and he knew he had already shot himself in the chin. I showed LOPEZ a sketch of the scene and asked him to write where he was during the incident. He identified the bakery on the sketch and wrote in, “bakery.” LOPEZ drew a circle indicating a tree where SHIFFLET took a position and wrote, “SHIFFLET.” He also drew a square, north of SHIFFLET and north of the bakery, indicating the blue, Ford, Econoline van where he took cover and wrote an “X” and “LOPEZ.” LOPEZ signed and dated the sketch.