LOS ANGELES — The city of Los Angeles has agreed to a $9.5 million settlement in a lawsuit filed by the family of a woman who was tragically killed by police during a shootout at a Trader Joe’s store six years ago, according to the family’s attorneys.
The lawsuit, brought by the father and brother of 27-year-old Melyda Corado in November 2018, alleged wrongful death and civil rights violations.
Corado, who served as an assistant manager at the Silver Lake neighborhood store, was shot on July 21, 2018, when a gunman, fleeing from police, engaged in a shootout inside the store. According to police, Corado was struck in the crossfire.
The incident occurred after the gunman reportedly shot his grandmother and abducted his girlfriend. He then took several hostages inside the store before eventually surrendering to authorities.
Neil Gehlawat, the family’s attorney, claimed that Corado’s death could have been avoided if the officers had adhered to their training protocols. “The officers here failed to do that,” Gehlawat said in a statement.
The City Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the settlement on Friday.
The Los Angeles Police Commission had previously determined that the officer who fired the shot that killed Corado acted within the department’s policy. A report from the commission stated that the officers’ actions were deemed reasonable, given their belief that the gunman posed an immediate threat of serious harm or death.
