Homicide Report > Steven Washington, 27
Steven Washington, 27
Died March 20, 2010 at 12:11 a.m.
Steven Washington, a 27-year-old black man, was shot and killed by police officers Saturday, March 20, in the 800 block of South Vermont Avenue in Koreatown, according to authorities.
Los Angeles police officials said officers shot Washington early Saturday morning after he reached into his waistband for what they believed was a weapon.
Washington died from a single gunshot wound to the head shortly after midnight.
Although no weapon was found, officers said they feared for their lives because Washington did not respond to their commands and appeared to be reaching for his waistband.
Hours after the shooting, Washington's relatives criticized police and said the dead man had suffered from learning disabilities and was generally afraid of strangers. They insisted that he was not violent and that he probably had been walking home after visiting a friend.
Police identified the gang enforcement officers involved as Allan Corrales and George Diego, who have served nearly seven and eight years with the department, respectively. Both have been reassigned until the probe is completed, police say.
— Jason Song
Photo: Members of Steven Washington's family. Credit: Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times
- Neighborhood: Koreatown
- Age: 27
- Gender: Male
- Cause: Gunshot
- Day of the week: Saturday
- Agency: LAPD Force Investigation
- Race/Ethnicity: Black
- Circumstance: Officer-involved
- Crime scene: Public place
Nine reader comments about Steven Washington
sad!
March 23, 2010 at 1:36 p.m.
i lived in koreatown for 16 years,from1994-2006.irolo an 8th str.the law enforcement agencies,rampart an wilshire div. are so feared for their lives in that area,that they make deadly mistakes.the blacks are not the problem in that area,when it comes to tha gangs,they are not the threat.its the ms-13 .on francis st.or the 18st gangsters on 7th an vermont on shadow lane between vermont an 7th..
March 30, 2010 at 3:04 p.m.
wow thats sad i went to school went him he wouldnt hurt a fly...smh
April 11, 2010 at 5:17 a.m.
how can lapd get away with this this type of murder should not happen what happend to using a club and pepper spray or tazer f### the pigs
April 22, 2010 at 11:19 a.m.
He was a regular passenger on my bus & never bother anyone.It was sad to hear what happened to him,my bus is dedicated in his memorie & i named it "The Washington Express".Thank's to those 2 dummie's he's up there driving his own bus.Take care.....Later.
May 2, 2010 at 6:02 p.m.
"Pele" is gone, this is incredible. I am VERY sad to see this. He was a great person. We called him "Pele"on the block, as he loved to play soccer. These cops took away the life of someone very special. He did not deserve this..."Pele" you will be missed...
Aug. 10, 2010 at 9:13 p.m.
This was not a kid in trouble. This was just a kid walking on the street. If the police are so jumpy, they should learn their beats better. Learn peoples names instead of riding around in their cars scared of everybody.
March 5, 2011 at 7:06 p.m.
Steven,
You're, unfortunately, in good company. Zac Champommier was an 18 year-old, saxophone playing honors student who was killed by a "multijurisdictional task force" because he pulled into a public parking lot and accidentally hit an undercover officer who ran into the path of his car.
Doug Zerby was too drunk to drive and instead waited for his friend to arrive home. He sat on his friend's steps and fiddled with a water nozzle. The police observed him for 10-15 minutes. He never even knew they were there when they executed him claiming that he raised the water nozzle in a threatening manner.
Erik Scott was killed by three policemen while he exited a Costco in Las Vegas that was being evacuated because someone had noticed that Erik had a gun. He was licensed to carry the gun as part of his business, delivering pacemakers to dangerous parts of the city. As he disarmed, stating aloud "I am disarming", removing his holster, the police opened fire and killed him in front of his girlfriend.
DJ Henry, Reggie Doucet, Jr., Oscar Grant, Christian Portillo, and so many others....
Even former LA Police Chief Daryl Gates' brother, himself a police captain, was brutalized by an Orange County Sheriff.
Law enforcement is simply out of control and will not hesitate to kill at the slightest, or, apparently NO provocation.
March 21, 2011 at 10:36 p.m.
what a shame..like pvt. GOMER PYLE would say shame, shame, shame..the police is just a gang who has the authority to kill when ever they want. always saying that they thought the person had a weapon, always digging in their pants and pulling out something...but there is nothing to produce., that's sad..TO PROTECT AND SERVE..'don't make me laff '...
Oct. 16, 2011 at 5:52 p.m.
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