LOS ANGELES — The city of Los Angeles will pay $9.5 million to settle a lawsuit by relatives of a woman fatally shot by LA police during a shootout with a gunman at a Trader Joe’s store six years ago, the family’s attorneys said Friday.
The father and brother of 27-year-old Melyda Corado sued in November 2018, alleging civil rights violations and wrongful death.
Corado was an assistant manager at the store in the Silver Lake neighborhood on July 21, 2018, when a gunman, who was being chased by police, got into a shootout as he ran inside. Police said Corado was caught in the crossfire.
Investigators said the gunman had shot his grandmother and kidnapped his girlfriend. He took dozens of people hostage in the store but later surrendered.
Neil Gehlawat, an attorney for Corado’s family, said her death was preventable if the officers had followed their training.
“Officers must look at the dangers posed to bystanders when using deadly force, and the officers here failed to do that,” Gehlawat said in a statement.
The City Attorney’s Office didn’t immediately respond Friday to an email seeking comment on the settlement.
The Los Angeles Police Commission determined the officer who fired the fatal shot didn’t violate police department policy. A report said officers acted reasonably because they believed the gunman presented an immediate threat of injury or death.
The city of Los Angeles has agreed to settle a lawsuit for $9.5 million with the family of a woman who was killed during a police shootout with a gunman in 2018. The incident occurred on July 21, 2018, when officers responded to a call of an armed man in a Trader Joe’s store in Silver Lake.
During the standoff, the suspect, Gene Atkins, shot his grandmother and girlfriend before fleeing in a car. He crashed the car outside the Trader Joe’s and ran into the store, where he exchanged gunfire with police. In the crossfire, 27-year-old Melyda Corado, an assistant manager at the store, was struck and killed.
The settlement comes after a lengthy legal battle between the city and Corado’s family. The family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city, alleging that the officers’ actions were reckless and negligent, leading to Corado’s death. The settlement includes compensation for Corado’s family as well as changes to the LAPD’s policies and training procedures.
The tragic incident sparked outrage and calls for accountability within the community. Many questioned the tactics used by the officers and whether the situation could have been handled differently to prevent Corado’s death. The settlement serves as a step towards justice for Corado’s family and a reminder of the importance of holding law enforcement accountable for their actions.
In response to the settlement, LAPD Chief Michel Moore expressed his condolences to Corado’s family and reiterated the department’s commitment to improving training and procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future. The settlement also serves as a reminder of the risks and challenges that law enforcement officers face in high-pressure situations.
Overall, the $9.5 million settlement in the 2018 death of Melyda Corado serves as a bittersweet resolution to a tragic event. While it cannot bring back Corado or erase the pain felt by her loved ones, it provides some measure of closure and accountability for her untimely death. It also serves as a catalyst for change within the LAPD, prompting reforms to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
