A. K. H. Ex Rel. Landeros v. City of Tustin

Defendant Osvaldo Villarreal, a police officer in Tustin, California, fatally shot Benny Herrera during an attempted investigatory stop. As will be more fully described below, Herrera was on foot. Officer Villarreal was in his patrol car and had just driven up beside Herrera. Herrera was in the middle of the roadway, moving in the direction of traffic. His left hand was free and visible; his right hand was in his sweatshirt pocket. Villarreal commanded Herrera to take his hand out of his pocket. Less than a second later, just as Herrera’s hand came out of his pocket, Villarreal shot him twice, killing him. Herrera was unarmed. Villarreal does not claim that he saw, or thought he saw, a weapon in Herrera’s hand.

In a § 1983 suit alleging excessive force, Officer Villarreal moved for summary judgment. The district court denied the motion. In this interlocutory appeal, we affirm.

I. Factual and Procedural Background

On December 17, 2011, at approximately 3:00 p.m., Hilda Ramirez called 911. She reported that her ex-boyfriend, Benny Herrera, had “jacked [her] phone.” Ramirez stated that she was not hurt, that she did not need paramedics, and that her children were “fine,”…