Young Mexican man Cristian Baltazar Torres, 18, died after being shot dead by elements of the Oxnard, California police department. The incident came on April 7 after emergency services received reports that Torres was holding a knife and threatening residents passing the 2000 block of East Bard Road. Agents tried to neutralize the young man with discharges from a “Taser” pistol and a blank shotgun, but were unable to knock him down or disarm him, so an officer shot him at least four times. Torres was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to Ventura County Medical Center. The operation was recorded by the agents’ body cameras, and the images began circulating on social media this Tuesday.
Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) has asked US authorities to conduct a full investigation into the excessive use of force that led to the young man’s death. “Following an initial review of the incident by recognized legal experts in the field of civil rights litigation, an opinion was received that the use of deadly force against Cristian Baltazar was inappropriate in the circumstances depicted in the video,” SRE said in a statement. The agency pledged to provide assistance to the Torres family, who arrived on US soil a year ago.
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