Police Shootings
Police Shooting Attorney · California
When Police Use Deadly Force,
Your Family Deserves Justice.
Gastélum Law represents victims and families in officer-involved shootings and excessive force cases throughout California. We fight the government — and we win.
FREE CONFIDENTIAL CONSULTATION
Officer-Involved Shootings
No One Is Above the Law — Including Those Who Enforce It
A police shooting is one of the most traumatic events a family can experience. Beyond the loss itself, families are often confronted with an official narrative that protects the officers involved — one that may contradict what witnesses saw, what video shows, or what the evidence reveals.
California law allows families to pursue civil rights claims when officers use deadly force unconstitutionally. Under federal law (42 U.S.C. § 1983) and California’s Bane Act, law enforcement officers and the agencies that employ them can be held financially accountable when their use of force violates the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable seizure.
Attorney Denisse O. Gastélum has successfully represented families in multiple police shooting cases, including cases involving individuals in mental health crises — some holding objects as harmless as a spatula or a wooden stick. She understands how these cases are built, how the defense argues them, and how to win.
Act Before the Deadline
California law requires families to file a Government Tort Claim within 6 months of the date of injury or death.
Missing this deadline can permanently end your case. Evidence disappears. Witnesses forget. The time to act is now.
Types of Cases
Police Shooting & Excessive Force Cases We Handle
Fatal Police Shootings
Representing families whose loved ones were shot and killed by officers using unjustified or disproportionate deadly force.
Shootings During Mental Health Calls
Officers responding to 5150 psychiatric holds have a heightened duty to de-escalate. When they fail and shoot, it is a civil rights violation.
Shootings of Unarmed Individuals
Cases where the victim posed no objectively reasonable threat of death or serious bodily injury to officers or others.
Excessive Force / Police Brutality
Serious injury caused by unreasonable use of force during arrest, detention, or other law enforcement encounters.
Wrongful Death by Law Enforcement
Civil wrongful death claims for surviving family members, including loss of companionship, financial support, and more.
Section 1983 Civil Rights Claims
Federal civil rights lawsuits against officers and agencies that violate constitutionally protected rights under color of law.
Immediate Steps
What to Do After a Police Shooting
Time Is Critical
Remember: The 6-month Government Tort Claim deadline begins the day of the incident. Every day matters. Take these steps — and call Gastélum Law — as quickly as possible.
1
Request an Independent Autopsy
If your loved one was killed, arrange an independent private autopsy before or alongside the government’s. An objective evaluation of cause of death and bullet trajectory can be critical evidence.
2
Preserve All Evidence
Secure any video footage — body cameras, doorbell cameras, bystander recordings. Photograph injuries. Write down witness names and accounts. Screenshot news reports and social media coverage.
3
Do Not Speak to Police Investigators Without an Attorney
Government investigators are working on behalf of the agency — not your family. Any statement you make can be used against your case. Speak with a civil rights attorney first.
4
Call Gastélum Law
We offer a free, confidential consultation. We will evaluate your case, explain your rights, and take immediate steps to preserve evidence and meet the critical 6-month filing deadline.
Case Results
Holding Law Enforcement Accountable
$7M
Civil Rights · Brain Injury
Historic settlement on behalf the family of a man who suffered a brain injury at a county jail following an attack by a known violent inmate
$5.5M
Civil Rights · Jail Suicide
Historic settlement on behalf the family of a man who died by suicide at a county jail
$4M
Wrongful Death · Premises Liability
Settlement on behalf of a family whose son was crushed to death by a 50-ton front loader at a recycling yard
Your Attorney
Denisse O. Gastélum, Esq.
Denisse O. Gastélum is an experienced civil rights litigator with a proven record in police shooting and excessive force cases. She has fought — and won — for families whose loved ones were killed by law enforcement across California, including multiple cases involving individuals in mental health crises during 5150 calls.
Her background on the defense side gives her a distinctive edge: she understands exactly how government agencies defend these cases, and she uses that knowledge to anticipate and counter their arguments.
– Experienced civil rights litigator with a track record against government agencies
– Lead litigator inTrejo v. County of Imperial— historic in-custody death settlement establishing Monell liability against a county sheriff’s office
– Multiple-year Southern California Super Lawyer — only 5% of attorneys receive this distinction
– Recipient of the Luminaria Award — Latina Lawyers Bar Association
– Multiple-year Southern California Super Lawyer — only 5% of attorneys receive this distinction
– Recipient of the Street Fighter of the Year Award — Consumer Attorneys of California
– Bilingual — full legal services in English and Spanish
– Contingency fee — no payment unless we win your case
You Deserve Answers.
A free consultation with Gastélum Law is confidential, costs nothing, and could be the most important step you take toward justice.
(213) 340-6112
Available in English and Spanish · Hablamos Español
· No fee unless we win
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Officers are trained to de-escalate mental health crises and must use the least force necessary. When officers respond to 5150 calls with lethal force instead of de-escalation, it can give rise to a civil rights claim. Gastélum Law has successfully represented multiple families in exactly these cases
42 U.S.C. § 1983 is a federal law that allows individuals and families to sue government officials — including police officers — who violate constitutional rights. In police shooting cases, the claim is typically that the officer used excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment. These cases can result in significant financial compensation and accountability for the officers and agencies involved.
Qualified immunity can complicate federal claims against individual officers, but it does not prevent lawsuits against the agency itself. And in California, AB 1506 (2021) eliminated qualified immunity as a defense in state court civil rights cases — meaning officers can be held personally liable in California state court. An experienced civil rights attorney can advise you on how these rules apply to your case.
You must file a Government Tort Claim against the responsible agency within 6 months of the date of the shooting. This deadline is strict — missing it can permanently end your case. Federal Section 1983 claims have a 2-year statute of limitations. Contact Gastélum Law immediately to protect your rights.
Compensation may include wrongful death damages (loss of financial support, companionship, and guidance), funeral expenses, emotional distress for surviving family members, the victim’s pre-death pain and suffering, and in some cases punitive damages against officers for egregious misconduct.
Yes. We handle police shooting and excessive force cases throughout California — including Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County, and statewide.
Free Consultation
Tell Us What Happened
The first step toward justice is a private conversation. Contact us today — there is no cost and no obligation.
100% Confidential.
Everything you share is protected by attorney-client privilege and will never be shared.
No Fee Unless We Win.
You owe us nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
Speak to a Real Attorney.
An attorney — not intake staff — will personally review your situation.
Hablamos Español.
Full legal services available in Spanish for our Spanish-speaking families.
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