Pedro Lopez, a 67-year-old Hispanic man, was fatally shot on February 17, 2022, in Norwalk, California, during a deputy-involved shooting. The shooting happened around 7 p.m. in the 12000 block of Foster Road while deputies were attempting to apprehend Andre Mora, a suspect wanted for carjacking and assault with a deadly weapon. Mora produced a handgun and deputies opened fire; he then fled into a nearby home and a six-hour standoff followed.

While officers secured the area, Lopez was found lying in the yard of the residence with a gunshot wound to his upper torso and was pronounced dead at the scene. Ballistic testing was conducted to determine whether the fatal shot came from Mora or from law enforcement. Mora was taken into custody with multiple gunshot wounds and later charged in connection with the violent crimes that sparked the confrontation. The California Department of Justice concluded no law enforcement officers would be charged, finding the detective who fired the fatal shot had no way of knowing Lopez was in the cluttered side yard.

Lopez was known in the neighborhood as the topless neighborhood watchman for his habit of keeping an eye on the area often without a shirt. The case prompted debate about body-worn camera policies; the DOJ recommended equipping all deputies, including plainclothes officers, with body cameras. Does anyone have information about Lopez’s activities that evening or saw the scene on Foster Road?