DOWNEY, CA fatal officer-involved shooting of 29-year-old Alberto Nicolas Arenas on Saturday evening. The incident, which unfolded amidst a call about a disturbance, has left family members and neighbors shocked and seeking answers. According to reports from the Downey Police Department, officers responded to a disturbance call around 6:15 p.m. in the 7100 block of Stewart and Gray Road. Upon arrival, officers initiated an investigation that tragically escalated into an officer-involved shooting.
“A male subject was shot and died from his injuries,” the police statement confirmed.
Relatives of Alberto Nicolas Arenas, including his mother, identified him as the victim of the shooting. They disclosed that Alberto suffered from mental illness, emphasizing that he posed no threat to anyone at the time of the incident.
“We called and we told them (police), he was in the yard. He wasn’t out on the street. He was in our own house,” his mother expressed.
The family further elaborated that the altercation leading to the shooting stemmed from a dispute over fireworks with a neighbor. Witnesses corroborated that Alberto was in the backyard lighting fireworks when a confrontation ensued, ultimately resulting in the fatal gunfire. “My son didn’t touch him. He didn’t hit them. He didn’t do anything to them,” Alberto’s mother emphasized, echoing the sentiment of family and neighbors who knew him as non-violent.
In the aftermath of the shooting, community members have expressed shock and sorrow over the loss of Alberto Arenas, describing him as a non-aggressive individual caught in a tragic escalation. The incident has sparked calls for transparency and justice, with the California Department of Justice taking over the investigation.
Downey police have urged anyone with information to come forward, directing them to contact Crime Stoppers or visit their website to aid in the ongoing investigation. As the investigation unfolds, questions linger about the circumstances that led to the use of lethal force and the handling of mental health crises by law enforcement. The community mourns the loss of Alberto Nicolas Arenas and seeks assurances that such incidents are thoroughly reviewed to prevent similar tragedies in the future.