Steven Eugene Washington, 27

March 23, 2010, 9:18 a.m.

Steven Washington, a 27-year-old black man, was shot and killed by police officers Saturday, March 20, in the 800 block of South Vermont Avenue in Koreatown, according to authorities.

Los Angeles police officials said officers shot Washington early Saturday morning after he reached into his waistband for what they believed was a weapon.

Washington died from a single gunshot wound to the head shortly after midnight.

Although no weapon was found, officers said they feared for their lives because Washington did not respond to their commands and appeared to be reaching for his waistband.

Hours after the shooting, Washington's relatives criticized police and said the dead man had suffered from learning disabilities and was generally afraid of strangers. They insisted that he was not violent and that he probably had been walking home after visiting a friend.

Police identified the gang enforcement officers involved as Allan Corrales and George Diego, who have served nearly seven and eight years with the department, respectively. Both have been reassigned until the probe is completed, police say.

-- Jason Song

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14 reader comments

Steven,

You're, unfortunately, in good company. Zac Champommier was an 18 year-old, saxophone playing honors student who was killed by a "multijurisdictional task force" because he pulled into a public parking lot and accidentally hit an undercover officer who ran into the path of his car.

Doug Zerby was too drunk to drive and instead waited for his friend to arrive home. He sat on his friend's steps and fiddled with a water nozzle. The police observed him for 10-15 minutes. He never even knew they were there when they executed him claiming that he raised the water nozzle in a threatening manner.

Erik Scott was killed by three policemen while he exited a Costco in Las Vegas that was being evacuated because someone had noticed that Erik had a gun. He was licensed to carry the gun as part of his business, delivering pacemakers to dangerous parts of the city. As he disarmed, stating aloud "I am disarming", removing his holster, the police opened fire and killed him in front of his girlfriend.

DJ Henry, Reggie Doucet, Jr., Oscar Grant, Christian Portillo, and so many others....

Even former LA Police Chief Daryl Gates' brother, himself a police captain, was brutalized by an Orange County Sheriff.

Law enforcement is simply out of control and will not hesitate to kill at the slightest, or, apparently NO provocation.

— Mel March 21, 2011 at 10:36 p.m.

All you people make comments on things you read and don't even get all the details. You make comments of the police officers but are to afraid to risk your own life. Don't pass judgment if you can't do the job. These streets are unforgiving and these officer's have families too, they have seconds to make life changing decisions. You can't bring a knife to a gunfight and you have to be quicker on the draw than the bad guy. If this guy would have shot one of the police officers none of you would care or even read the article. We have had more assaults on officers in the past two years and nobody comments on that except when they close the streets for their funeral, then you get mad and make stupid comments. Most of you commenting couldn't even pass the physical exam.

— OneTime March 7, 2011 at 1:43 p.m.

The Homicide Report

Steven Eugene Washington, 27

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14 reader comments