Family awarded $1.9M in officer involved shooting

A federal jury has awarded an Indio family $1.9 million regarding the Indio officer involved shooting death of 23-year-old Alejandro Rendon on February 14, 2013.

The six day civil trial wrapped up last week in Riverside.

Jurors ruled the officer used excessive force and the city approved of it, according to court documents.

Rendon reportedly fled from an officer on his bicycle around 11:30 p.m. in the 82-400 block of Miles Avenue the night of his death.

According to the lawsuit filed by his family, Rendon was visiting friends and family in Indio to bring them Valentine’s Day greetings and gifts, and he fled because he feared, “Wrongful detention and possible use of force”.

Rendon was climbing a chain-link fence when he was shot by a police officer. He wasn’t armed, according to the lawsuit.

The Indio Police Department issued the following statement:

“We are very disappointed with the verdict, our officer was required to make a split decision in the defense of his life, and the department is in support of his decision and actions.”