Ex-Officer charged with manslaughter for killing mentally disabled man

The California attorney general’s office filed charges against Salvador Sanchez, a former Los Angeles officer who shot Kenneth French at a Costco while off duty in 2019.

Mr. Sanchez was off duty on June 14, 2019, when he killed 32-year-old Kenneth French and wounded his parents, Russell, 58, and Paola French, 59, during a confrontation. Mr. French, who relatives said had a mental disability and was nonverbal, had been shopping with his parents at a Costco in Corona, Calif., east of Los Angeles.

David Winslow, a lawyer for Mr. Sanchez, said in a statement that his client “was holding his baby when he was violently attacked and knocked to the ground” by Mr. French. Mr. Sanchez was momentarily knocked unconscious, Mr. Winslow said, and believed his life and his child’s life were in danger.

Dianne Bawit, a witness to the shooting, told The New York Times in 2019 that as Mr. Sanchez got up from the ground, appearing distressed, he pulled out his gun and fired several shots.

The officer was fired in July 2020.

As a mom to special needs child I have to say this entire scenario horrifies me. Anytime an officer involved shooting with a special needs person occurs my blood curdles and I can’t sleep at night.