LAPD Shooting: One Year After Korean American Killed Seeking Mental Health Care, No Reform

On May 2, 2024, Yang Yong, a 40-year-old Korean American man, was fatally shot by Los Angeles police after his parents called for help to have him hospitalized for mental health treatment. What began as a plea for medical assistance ended in tragedy when officers opened fire inside his parents’ apartment.

His father, Yang Min, said, “We only asked for help to get him into the hospital. Because of the police’s wrong judgment, something that should never have happened took place. Our son had committed no crime and was not wanted by police.”

The Deadly Encounter: 8 Seconds After Entry

The chain of events started when Yoon, a Korean American staff member of the LA County Psychiatric Mobile Response Team (PMRT), contacted the police. Despite being a mental health professional, Yoon did not suggest alternative measures and instead referred Yang to law enforcement.

At around 11:10 a.m., six officers arrived at the scene. After waiting approximately 20 minutes, they forced open the apartment door. Within just eight seconds of entering, they fired multiple shots at Yang, who was holding a kitchen knife in the living room.

According to the LA County Coroner’s report, Yang’s cause of death was classified as homicide.

LAPD’s Mental Health Response Failures Exposed

This incident revealed serious shortcomings in the LAPD’s handling of mental health crises. Officers from the Olympic Division, who managed the scene, told Yang’s parents that they could not forcibly take Yang to a hospital. Instead, they proposed arresting him on trespassing charges. Although a less-lethal bean bag weapon was available, officers chose to use live ammunition, killing Yang on the spot.

Empty Promises from City Officials

Following protests and widespread anger in the Korean American community, LA Mayor Karen Bass promised to overhaul the police department’s crisis response practices. Nathan Hochman, who was running for LA County District Attorney at the time, assured the Korean American Association of Los Angeles that a system to prevent such tragedies would be established.

One year later, those promises remain unfulfilled.

Lawsuit for Records: LAPD Stalls Transparency

In an effort to uncover the full truth, this publication filed a lawsuit under the California Public Records Act to compel disclosure of all evidence. While the court granted the request, the LAPD has been stalling by releasing only partial materials—such as selected video footage and audio clips—in an apparent effort to drag out the process.

No Discipline for Officer Who Fired Fatal Shots

The LA Police Commission ultimately cleared Officer Andres Lopez, who fired the fatal shots. Although some commissioners acknowledged there were faults in the case, they have refused to publicly specify what those were. Lopez continues to serve at the Olympic Division without facing any disciplinary action.

Attorney: Both Police and Mental Health Services at Fault

Attorney Jung Chan-Yong, who is leading the public records lawsuit, said, “This case highlights failures on both sides: the police’s poor on-scene response and the inadequate handling by the mental health department.”

Related Articles:

• LAPD Officer-Involved Shooting Ruled Justified Despite Violations
• LAPD Judged Itself – McDonnell, the Community Demands Answers

BY HYOUNGJAE KIM [kim.ian@koreadaily.com]