Brian Barbosa, a 23-year-old resident of South Gate, California, died on January 11, 2015, as a result of an officer-involved shooting. The incident began in the early hours of the morning when Barbosa attempted to carjack a vehicle in the parking lot of a Jack in the Box restaurant on Atlantic Avenue and Firestone Boulevard. According to reports, Barbosa approached a driver, Lonnie U., and demanded the vehicle at gunpoint. When the car failed to start, Barbosa fled the scene.
South Gate Police officers responded to the attempted carjacking and located an individual matching Barbosa's description. However, the initial suspect was not identified as Barbosa by the victim. As officers were transporting Lonnie back to his vehicle, Barbosa ran past the patrol car, and Lonnie confirmed that he was the carjacker. Barbosa then fled on foot, leading to a pursuit by the officers.
During the pursuit, Barbosa allegedly attempted another carjacking on Annetta Avenue but was unsuccessful. He then ran into residential yards in the area. Officers eventually spotted Barbosa on the sidewalk in the 8900 block of Kauffman Avenue, where he was reportedly armed with a handgun. According to the police, Barbosa confronted the officers, leading to an officer-involved shooting. Barbosa was pronounced dead at the scene, and a gun was recovered from his possession.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office conducted a thorough investigation into the shooting. The investigation included reviewing investigative reports, audio recordings of interviews, firearm analysis reports, the autopsy report, crime scene diagrams, photographs, video evidence, and witness statements. The voluntary statements of all involved officers were also considered. The District Attorney's Office concluded that the officers acted lawfully in self-defense and in defense of others, as well as in an effort to stop a fleeing felon. The officers involved in the shooting were identified as Lieutenant Ignacio Patino, Sergeant Chris Dahlia, Officer George Chaves, Officer Robert Pellerin, and Officer Derrick Marin.
No arrests were made in connection with Barbosa's death, as the investigation determined that the officers' actions were justified. The case did not result in any criminal charges against the officers, and there were no further litigations or law cases related to the incident. The shooting was deemed a lawful use of force by the South Gate Police Department and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
