Karen Bass calls for independent review of two fatal LAPD encounters

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is calling for an independent examination of two fatal encounters involving the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) that were captured on video. Bass described the footage as “incredibly difficult to watch” and announced plans for an executive directive to review officer-involved deaths and serious injuries, with a specific focus on encounters involving individuals in mental health crises.

One incident involved 59-year-old Jose Carlos Hoyos-Munoz. Following an eight-hour standoff in Chatsworth after an alleged attack on his family, Hoyos-Munoz was taken into custody and booked at the Van Nuys Regional Jail. Police reported that during his time in custody, multiple instances of “non-categorial use of force” occurred while officers were attempting to process him, including during his placement in a restraint chair and while he was on his bunk.

Mayor Bass noted that law enforcement will continue to be called to respond to violent behavior when society fails to provide adequate care for those with mental health disorders.