Family of 14-Year-Old Killed by El Centro Police Will Seek Justice and March with Supporters Saturday

Attorneys from McKenzie Scott PC, a San Diego-based civil rights firm, will hold a press conference on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. in El Centro to address the fatal shooting of a 14-year-old boy by El Centro police officers. The victim’s mother, a sibling, and attorney Marcus Bourassa are scheduled to speak.

Following the press conference, supporters will march to demand justice and accountability for the teenager’s death.

Event Details:

WHAT: Press conference and march for justice following fatal police shooting of 14-year-old boy
WHEN: Saturday, November 22, 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: Outside the Volcano Restaurant, El Centro, California (1.7 miles down Main Street from El Centro Police headquarters)
WHO: Alma (victim’s mother), Marcus Bourassa (McKenzie Scott PC civil rights attorney), and a sibling of the victim

Incident Details:

On October 5, police responded to an automated license plate reader hit on a suspected stolen vehicle in El Centro. Officers located the vehicle parked behind a restaurant. Officers positioned themselves directly in the vehicle’s path and issued no commands whatsoever to Mikey Jimenez, the fourteen-year-old driver.

Mikey briefly maneuvered to exit, but on recognizing the path was blocked, he brought the car to a complete stop. Rather than give him the opportunity to surrender, at least two officers opened fire. One officer began shooting only after Mikey brought the car to a safe stop. The killers fired nearly two dozen rounds, with one seeming to stop only when his magazine was empty. Mikey died while it was obvious he was doing everything he could to surrender safely. The group of other juvenile passengers were all released without charges. 

On November 19, the El Centro Police Department released a video depicting their edited version of events, available here. It includes no body-worn video footage from at least one of the shooters, omits information about how many officers fired, says nothing of how many rounds they shot, does not identify Mikey’s killers, and faults Mikey for his own death. Still, the truth is clear – at least two officers abruptly shot and killed a child within seconds, without warning, and after he surrendered.

Statement from Civil Rights Attorney Marcus Bourassa:

“We cannot become a community where kids are killed on suspicion of joyriding. No parent should live in fear their child will be murdered by law enforcement. But a 14-year-old child is dead and Mikey’s last act was to surrender to the officers entrusted with his safety and that of our community. Cops who illegally kill should be prosecuted. The family and community deserve accountability and answers.”

About McKenzie Scott PC:

McKenzie Scott PC is a San Diego-based law firm specializing in civil rights, criminal defense, and personal injury cases. The firm has a proven track record of holding law enforcement accountable for misconduct. The firm’s historic, record-setting settlements include K.J.P. v. San Diego, which resulted in the largest excessive-force verdict in American history at the time ($85 million in compensatory damages), and Schuck v. County of San Diego, et al., which resulted in a $16 million damages award.

For more information, visit www.mckenziescott.com

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Media Contact:

 Jason Kitchen
Outreach Coordinator, McKenzie Scott PC
Phone: (517) 974-4724
Email: Jkitchen@mckenziescott.com