Sheriff’s Dept. Publishes Video of Deputies Shooting Armed Man in Avocado Heights

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

LOS ANGELES - Dramatic body camera video was released recently showing deputies shooting and wounding a man who brandished a weapon at them December 21.

Suspect Albert Cota, 34, entered Jack In the Box, 506 Workman Mill Rd., in Avocado Heights and walked behind the counter. He refused to leave, stole a store phone and began screaming at employees, according to surveillance video and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s dispatch recordings.

Deputies were called to the restaurant around 5:30 p.m. Upon arriving, deputies came face-to-face with Cota who began acting erratic and started grabbing for an object in his jacket pocket. He refused to comply with orders to keep his hands visible. One of the deputies aimed his stun gun at Cota, who responded by aiming a weapon at the deputies.

The deputies fired multiple rounds at Cota, wounding him. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.

The memes page “Lapuente626sgv” erroneously stated Cota died from his wounds, plagiarizing information word for word from the Instagram page “Fire_replays,” which first published the false information, instead of doing real reporting.

Cota survived his injuries and remains hospitalized, according to Lt. German Ochoa of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau.

The case against Cota will move forward once he is released from the hospital.

​no one else was injured in the incident.

Deputies recovered a silver Glock 17 air pistol that was modified to accept an extended magazine filled with 9mm bullets, but was incapable of firing, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Investigations continue, with the Sheriff’s Department conducting an internal investigation, while the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office conducts its own investigation. When completed, the findings will be presented to the DA’s Justice System Integrity Division to determine if the use of force was justified.

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