Skip to Content
News

Headlines: Two Torrance Police Officers Indicted For The 2018 Killing of Christopher Deandre Mitchell

11:07 AM PDT on April 14, 2023

photo by @torranceforjustice via Genderbenderapparel/Instagram

Welcome to L.A. TACO’s daily news briefs, where we bring our loyal members, readers, and supporters the latest headlines about Los Angeles politics and culture. Stay informed and look closely.

—Highland Park: Back-to-back Taco Madness champ Victor Villa was spotted front and center at a punk show in Highland Park last night, singing along to Highland Park-based band ‘The Runts.’ All proceeds from the sold-out show—which also featured the local, emerging, melodic crust band Lagrimas—went to the L.A. Tenants Union to help towards the displacement happening around northeast Los Angeles. [@Miglovin/IG]

—Vernon: Twenty pallets of free alcohol wipes are waiting for you in Vernon. Time to stock up for the next pandemic! [Craigslist]

—Torrance: Two Torrance police officers linked to a racist text scandal were indicted for the 2018 killing of Christopher Deandre Mitchell. Former District Attorney Jackie Lacey initially declined to charge the officers but DA George Gascón reopened the case after he was sworn into office. In a statement, Black Lives Matter-LA said "For more than four years now, Christopher’s family, Black Lives Matter - Los Angeles, and ally groups have been committed to righteous organizing and demanding that Matthew Concannon, Anthony Chavez, and a third involved officer, Brian Kawamoto, be fired , held accountable, and that the City of Torrance create and empower a civilian oversight commission to hold police accountable.” This is a long time coming,” said Sherlyn Haynes, Christopher’s mother. [LAT]

—Two former Los Angeles County Sheriff's involved in the killing of 18-year-old Andres Guardado were federally indicted on charges of conspiracy, deprivation of rights, witness tampering, and falsification of records for allegedly abducting a skateboarder months before Guardado was killed. The Los Angeles District Attorney's office has not said whether charges will be filed in the Guardado case. [LAT]