Pedro Gonzalez Santa Cruz, 40

July 26, 2010, 9:44 a.m.

Pedro Santa Cruz, identified by the coroner's office as a 40-year-old white man, was shot and killed by police Wednesday, July 21, near E Street and McDonald Avenue in Wilmington, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

A patrol unit was called to investigate a prowler in the 500 block of McDonald Avenue shortly after midnight, according to an LAPD news release.

When officers arrived at the scene, they saw a man a block away, near E Street and McDonald Avenue, matching the description of the suspected prowler, police said.

As they approached the person, later identified as Pedro Santa Cruz, he turned and began punching one of the officers, police said, and a physical altercation began.

According to the LAPD, the officer's partner, Eric Johnson, who has been with the department for 11 years and 6 months, believed Santa Cruz was stabbing his colleague and fired his gun.

Santa Cruz was struck and taken to Harbor UCLA Medical Center, where he died, police said.

The officer involved in the fight sustained injuries to his head and hand and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

-- Sarah Ardalani

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14 reader comments

Yo pienso que hasta la persona mas mala, tiene derecho a que se le haga justicia, y eso es presisamente lo que deceamos, la familia de mi tio pedro, padre ,madre, hijas, hermanos, sobrinos, conosidos, y parientes, que todabia no podemos creer que, un hombre con placa de policia te haiga arrebatado tu vida, sin la minima conpacion, es increible que este pasando esto, con esa clase de personas asesinas,pero mi conformidad, es que si en la tierra no hay justicia, en la muerte se paga, y la mejor justicia es la de nuestro padre DIOS, con tu partida se ha sentido una ola de dolor, detras de tu muerte se han quedado ,personas inconsolables que haun no sabemos como asimilar que ya no estaras mas con nosotros,pero donde quiera que ese que tomo la justicia en sus manos y te arrebato la vida, nunca le pase esto con algien de su familia por que el dolor de haber perdido a un hijo es lo peor que le puede ocurrir a unos padres, tu eras bueno y ahora descansa en paz, alado de nuestro padre DIOS, solo te adelantaste y y pronto nos hemos de reencontrar contigo tio pedro, te extranamos y te tenemos siempre en nuestros corazones, perdona atosdos , los que te isieron dano ....tu sobrina como me decias diablo demuchacha ojos de agua puerca ;'FABY-HOLA';

— faby.hola Nov. 27, 2010 at 4:08 p.m.

I dont understand how so many people become victims of police officers because of a mistake on officers behalf. These mistakes are costing the lives of so many loved ones. I was hoping that police officers were supposed to be properly trained for situations were they should use there best judgement. I dont understand how an officer can justify his actions by saying "I thought he was stabing my partner". How do you imagine a knife that was never there.The officer obviously made a mistake, a very serious, fatal mistake.Why didn't he use his tasser or simply open his eyes!This is gone on long enough! We keep hearing new law propositions to put criminals behind bars, how about making these officers pay for there constant deadly mistakes.

— ED Sept. 20, 2010 at 9:23 p.m.

His full name was Pedro Gonzalez Santa Cruz...May he truly R I P ..as for you SB3 just tell us how many unarmed citizens have you enjoyed beating-up to the point that they black-out ! Or even worse, how many have you kill ? TELL YOU WHAT, every one...Pedro was alone, he was not armed, he didn't have so much as ascrew driver on him... Picture this if you will...The sad story of Rodney King... Only MR. King was really lucky, there was some one with a video camara, and it was all capture on film... because of this every one saw what the cops done to him...I do remeber I cried...to me Mr. King was a human...not an animal... Why do I bring this up ?... BECAUSE THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO PEDRO !!!!! EVEN WORSE... PEDRO DIED !!!!! THERE WAS NO CAMARA... Only a few paisas saw it all, and of course, they will never say a word...the fear of the killer cops is just too much. Pedros face and body was black and blue, his head was beaten too. But guesss what? "police supporter" after "the good guys" beat,shot and killed Pedro "they went home to their families" real nice hu? like S. C. said, you will feel this way till your turn comes and trust me it will... Pedro was so out-of-it he was calling out for help..."help me some one they are trying to kill me,please help". He must have thought some call 911 and send help...but that was THE HELPING party, right !!! It was not right....Just another justified murder....The DA will just hear the one side of the story, that is if it even gets to him...how can anybody trust the police anymore... R I P all the have died at the hands of law ....

— relative Aug. 17, 2010 at 11:24 p.m.

The Homicide Report

Pedro Gonzalez Santa Cruz, 40

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