When police answered a call in a Chandler, Arizona neighborhood about a man with a gun making threats, Mark Trujillo warned them that his family was next door. The encounter changed his life. Body and Ring camera footage show events unfolding moment by moment. Officers shouted for a neighbor to drop his weapon, then fired. Others didn’t hear that the suspect was down.
Trujillo recalled gesturing while expressing concern that shots might hit his house. Moments later, he himself was shot by an officer who mistook him for the suspect, according to the Chandler Police. “We have an innocent,” an officer said on the footage. Trujillo’s spine was severed, paralyzing him. He fell, his wife and five children witnessing the event, left calling for help.
“I was laying right here yelling for help,” he said.
A CBS News investigation of police records and local news reports discovered over 50 cases since 2015 where innocent bystanders were shot by police. Chaotic bodycam videos from such incidents show the collateral damage as bystanders are caught in crossfire. However, law enforcement watchdogs stress that the true number of these cases may be higher because no organization keeps an official count.
Attorney Benjamin Taylor stated, “The Department of Justice, our federal government, should be keeping track of these stats.” Families often lack financial aid to pay for medical or funeral costs. Mark Trujillo, facing hefty medical expenses and lost wages, sued the Chandler Police Department and city, seeking $50 million. These cases are tough, as officers often have qualified immunity, shielding them from civil suits. Legal representatives for Chandler argue the officers acted within their duties, with no negligence. The ongoing litigation remains unresolved.
The officers involved in Trujillo’s case faced no criminal charges. CBS News attempted to speak with Chandler Police’s chief, but due to the lawsuit, they are not granting interviews.
Lawsuits Face Challenges
The Fraternal Order of Police wants qualified immunity enshrined in law, rather than relying on Supreme Court rulings. Patrick Yoes, the group’s president, communicated its importance for law enforcement performing public safety functions to Congress.
In Los Angeles, a California family couldn’t hold the LAPD liable for the 2021 shooting of 14-year-old Valentina Orellana-Peralta. The girl was in a store’s changing room when officers fired at a suspect. Her father’s lawsuit over wrongful death was unsuccessful. The family’s attorney described it as “the most devastating loss” encountered.
Many officers expressed concern to CBS News that potential legal action against them for using firearms complicates their duties. It also raises concerns about recruiting new officers. Taylor emphasized the need for accountability when officers err, despite recognizing that good officers exist.