The parents of Roberto Corchado Jr., a 29-year-old man who was shot and killed by Fresno Police earlier this year, have filed a lawsuit against the city, Chief Paco Balderrama, and two officers involved, seeking damages for wrongful death. The lawsuit comes more than two months after the incident occurred.
On March 4th, police attempted to pull over Corchado near Shaw Avenue and Highway 41, but he refused to stop and started driving recklessly. Officers pursued him and eventually rammed his car. The Fresno Police Department declined to comment on the ongoing investigation conducted by the Department of Justice.
In a video press release released a month after the shooting, Bill Dooley, spokesperson for the police department, provided the police’s account of the events. According to their narrative, shots were fired by Corchado before the officers exited their patrol car. Police photos showed a bullet lodged in an officer’s vest. Body camera footage allegedly captured Corchado running toward a Camaro unrelated to the incident. Officers claim they commanded him to stop, and when he failed to comply, they opened fire, resulting in his death.
However, the Corchado family’s lawyers dispute this version of events, asserting that Corchado was unarmed when shot by the police. They claim that Corchado had his hands up and was facing away from the officers at the time of the shooting, making it an unjustified and unlawful use of force.
Authorities later discovered that Corchado had left a handgun near his vehicle and found a 22-caliber rifle inside his car. Both sides believe they have strong cases, with attorneys highlighting key factors such as the presence of an innocent person near the scene and the positioning of Corchado when shot.
The family’s lawyers are also questioning police policy and training, expressing concerns about officers involved in prior shootings and the need for proper training to prevent such incidents from occurring.
The lawsuit currently names the officers involved, but additional officers could potentially be added as defendants in the future. The case will likely hinge on determining whether any negligence or violations of police department policies and procedures occurred during the incident.
