Thanks to an agreement reached between the Anahaim Police Department, the state of California, and Raúl Sánchez, who was injured in the aftermath of a police shooting in 2020, the victim will be required to pay five million dollars in damages. As a result of the incident, which occurred after the man broke into the home and attempted to hide from law enforcement, Raúl Sánchez, a 26-year-old inmate in the California state prison, received three gunshot wounds during his escape attempt, as a result of which he lost a limb. He was sentenced to two years of prison confinement. Yet before his release from custody in 2021, Sánchez filed a lawsuit against the Anahaim Police Department and Buena Park, and also against the police officer from Anahaim, who shot at him, hoping to receive compensation for the injuries sustained.
"This sum reflects the changes that occurred in his life after losing a limb," explained Mike Lester, a representative of the victim. The shooting took place on November 13, 2020, and was the result of an ongoing investigation by the Orange County District Attorney's Office conducted in 2023, during which it was established that the officer from Anahaim acted lawfully in the use of force. "The most reasonable solution was reaching an agreement in this case," added Lester. The total amount of money will go to Sánchez, who has suffered injuries while in state prison. Raúl Sánchez admitted to being guilty last year in his plea and other offenses related to the 2020 incident.
According to the representative of the family, they support the actions of the police, noting that the shooting occurred "in a difficult and tense situation." At the moment of the incident, the Anahaim police reacted to a 911 call from a driver, who reported that a man from his vehicle threatened with a weapon.
