Grand jury will not bring charges against off-duty officer for fatal Costco shooting

A grand jury has declined to bring charges against an off-duty Los Angeles police officer who fatally shot a mentally ill man during an altercation in a Southern California Costco warehouse.

Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin announced the grand jury’s decision Wednesday.

Los Angeles Police Department Officer Salvador Sanchez opened fire on June 14, fatally shooting Kenneth French and injuring his parents, Russell and Paola French.

Lawyers for Sanchez have said he acted in self-defense when French attacked him as he was holding his 1½ -year-old son during a shopping trip to the warehouse store. An attorney for the French family has said family members believed French suffered from schizophrenia and was off his medication at the time.

Authorities have said the attack was without provocation.

KESQ