Gascon says 'there is not enough evidence' in the Guardado case

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon said on Friday "…that there is not enough evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt," regarding the deputy involved in the 2020 shooting death of Andres Guardado.

The deputy in question, Miguel Vega, was just indicted Thursday in a separate case for violating the civil rights of a Compton skateboarder that he and deputy Chris Hernandez, allegedly falsely imprisoned in their patrol car. This happened just months before the Guardado incident  

Official documents from the DA's office state, "The Justice System Integrity Division of the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has completed its review of the June 18, 2020, fatal shooting of Andres Guardado by Los Angeles Sheriff's Department (LASD) Deputy Miguel Vega. We have concluded that there is insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Vega did not fire in lawful self-defense."

Andres Guardado died in Gardena on June 18, 2020, outside an auto body shop where he was working as a security guard after deputies from the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department opened fire.

Officials said 18-year-old Guardado reached for a gun, and that's why the deputies decided to use deadly force, but the family of Guardado and other supporters in the community rejected the claim that he was armed.

After a short foot pursuit, Guardado was shot five times in the back..

"My heart goes out to the Guardado family. Nothing that my office can do will mitigate the unimaginable pain that those that knew and loved Andres must be feeling," wrote Gascon.

Los Angeles County officials reached an $8 million settlement in 2022 with the family of Andres Guardado in response to a wrongful death lawsuit Guardado's family filed against the county.