Ex-LAPD officer charged with manslaughter in shooting of man with intellectual disabilities

An ex-Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer has been charged with the shooting death of a man with intellectual disabilities, The Washington Post reported.

State Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) in a statement on Monday said that authorities have arrested and charged former LAPD officer Salvador Sanchez for the fatal shooting of Kenneth French. 

Sanchez got into a confrontation with 32-year-old French after he reportedly slapped the off-duty police officer in a food sample line at a Costco supermarket in June 2019.

Sanchez then took out his handgun and fired 10 shots, killing French, who has an intellectual disability, and wounding his parents during the incident, according to The Washington Post. 

“Where there’s reason to believe a crime has been committed, we will seek justice,” Bonta said in the statement. “That’s exactly what these charges are about: pursuing justice after an independent and thorough review of the evidence and the law.”

“Ultimately, any loss of life is a tragedy and being licensed to carry a gun doesn’t mean you’re not accountable for how you use it,” he added. “No matter who you are, nobody is above the law.”

This comes as Sanchez is facing felony charges of alleged voluntary manslaughter and assault with a semiautomatic firearm, according to the news release. 

Sanchez’s attorney David Winslow told the Post in a statement that his client was trying to defend himself during the ordeal, calling the charges against his client a “political stunt,” the Post reported. 

“Sal Sanchez was holding his baby when he was violently attacked and knocked to the ground along with his baby,” Winslow said. “He was also knocked unconscious momentarily. At the time of the incident he believed he was protecting himself and his baby from being killed.”

Sanchez’s bail is currently at $155,000 and his initial court appearance is set for Wednesday, the Post noted.