A man who says he was hit by a projectile during a celebration of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2020 NBA Finals victory has filed a suit against both the City of L.A. and L.A. County.
David Lopez alleged in the L.A. Superior Court suit that he was struck by a high-pressure 40mm “sponge round” fired by either a county sheriff’s deputy or Los Angeles Police Department officer responding to a crowd congregated at Grand Avenue and Olympic Boulevard in the aftermath of the October 2020 game.
The suit alleged Lopez was walking with his girlfriend near the crowd, headed to their vehicle, when he heard a loud “popping” sound. Lopez says he was then hit in the face by a sponge round, causing him to fall to the sidewalk.
“A medical emergency existed after plaintiff's facial injury,” the suit states. “Plaintiff dropped to the ground in excruciating pain and was bleeding profusely."
Lopez claims he was hit under his right eye, suffered a laceration, orbital bone fractures, eye trauma, and brain injury.
Both sheriff’s deputies and LAPD officers are required to follow protocols when deploying non-lethal projectiles to disperse crowds. Department policy requires that projectiles only be aimed at the belt line of a person believed to be a threat.
Lopez claimed he never posed a threat to law enforcement officers that day. He said he was not participating in the Lakers’ victory celebration and was “merely lawfully walking on the sidewalk, away from officers and/or deputy sheriffs.”
"The misuse and disregard of protocol as well as the otherwise abhorrent conduct exhibited by the defendants ... resulted in the substantial and permanently life-altering harm that was suffered by [Lopez]," the suit states. Lopez further claims law enforcement officers on the scene failed to “provide timely medical treatment,” causing further damage to his face and eye.
Representatives for the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department and LAPD did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
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