LAPD Officer Charged With Threatening To Kill Cousin, Pulling Gun On Tenant In Inglewood
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — A Los Angeles police officer has been charged with threatening to kill his cousin and another man while he was off-duty in Inglewood.
Nicolas Enmanuel Quintanilla-Borja, 29, was charged with one count each of false imprisonment by violence and assault with a semiautomatic firearm, and two counts of criminal threats. Quintanilla-Borja pleaded not guilty to the charges Tuesday.
Prosecutors say Quintanilla-Borja came home on May 7 and threatened to kill his 37-year-old cousin, who had barricaded himself inside a room, and made similar threats outside to a 64-year-old man who also lived on the property. Quintanilla-Borja pulled out a gun and pointed it at the tenant, who managed to get away and call 911, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office.
"Wearing a badge does not give an officer the right to break laws," District Attorney George Gascon said in a statement.
At the Los Angeles Police Commissioner's meeting Tuesday, LAPD Chief Michel Moore said Quintanilla-Borja was suspected of being under the influence when he was arrested and had earlier, off-duty, incidents involving excessive use of alcohol.
Quintanilla-Borja, who has been relieved of his police powers and assigned home, was hired by the LAPD in January 2020 and was most recently assigned to the 77th Street Division. He is scheduled to make his next court appearance on June 15.