Christopher Mark Garcia, a 26-year-old Latino man, was shot and killed by law enforcement on June 28, 2021, in Pacoima, California. Officers observed Garcia allegedly driving recklessly on side streets around 10 a.m., pursued him onto the I-5 Freeway, and he exited the freeway at Terra Bella Street. Garcia’s vehicle drove onto a dirt area near the off-ramp and struck a light pole. After exiting the vehicle he was seen holding a black replica handgun. Officers say he failed to drop the weapon and pointed it at them, after which at least one officer fired. Paramedics transported Garcia to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, and the LAPD later confirmed the gun was a replica pistol.

The shooting was recorded on body-camera footage that the department expected to release, and LAPD detectives opened a routine internal investigation into the officer-involved shooting. Reports noted this incident was one of 18 officer-involved shootings in Los Angeles during 2021, seven of which were fatal by that point. No arrests or other suspects have been reported; the investigation focused on the officers’ actions and the circumstances that led to the use of lethal force.

If anyone witnessed the pursuit, the crash, or the moments after Garcia exited his vehicle, can you share what you saw?