The family of David Ordaz Jr., who was shot and killed by L.A. County Deputies nearly four years ago, held a news conference Monday to protest a possible plea deal for one of the involved deputies that would not include prison time.
Deputy Remin Pineda faces one count each of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and assault under color of authority in the fatal shooting David Ordaz, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The incident occurred in East L.A. on March 14, 2021. Pineda and other deputies responded to a home after Ordaz’s sister called authorities indicating her brother was suicidal and armed with a knife.
Responding deputies began talking with Ordaz while he was still armed, and two deputies fired beanbag rounds at him as Ordaz stepped toward them, the DA’s office said.
Ordaz at one point allegedly ran toward the deputies with the knife and was shot multiple times by deputies.
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Body-worn camera footage of the fatal March 14, 2021, deputy-involved shooting. (LASD) -
Body-worn camera footage of the fatal March 14, 2021, deputy-involved shooting. (LASD) -
Body-worn camera footage of the fatal March 14, 2021, deputy-involved shooting. (LASD) -
Family of David Ordaz Jr. seen protesting a possible plea deal for an L.A. deputy accused in the fatal March 14, 2021, shooting in East. L.A. (KTLA) -
David Ordaz Jr., 34, seen in this undated photo. (viewer image) -
L.A. County Deputy Remin Pineda, accused in the fatal shooting of David Ordaz Jr. on March 14, 2021. (LASD)
The 34-year-old father dropped the knife, fell to the ground and was on his back facing deputies when Pineda allegedly continued firing at him, officials said.
He was declared dead at the scene.
“Oh my God, how have we survived without David for four years? It’s been tough,” Hilda Pedroza, Ordaz’s sister who dialed 911 that day to report her brother was suicidal and had a knife.
She now says she never thought that call would result in her brother’s death and said if she had to do it all over again, she never would have called the authorities.
Now, Ordaz’s family members are worried the district attorney’s office may propose a plea deal for Pineda that only involves probation and no prison time. The DA’s office is not commenting on the matter, but family members say that if that is the case, they will be outraged and demand justice.
“We’re upset,” Ordaz’s partner, Jasmine Moreno, told KTLA’s Jacqueline Sarkissian. “This is insane that we’ve been dealing with this for so many years.”
Pedroza added that the family is not asking for a hundred years in jail for Pineda.
“We’re not saying a life for a life,” she said. “We’re saying give him what he deserves for what he did.”
The DA’s office did confirm that a pre-trial conference in the matter is scheduled for Tuesday morning.
