The parents of Yong Yang, a man fatally shot by police during a bipolar episode in Los Angeles’ Koreatown, are disputing the police account of the incident. They called for mental health help for their son, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder around 15 years ago. The encounter with police was captured on bodycam video, showing officers demanding that Yang drop a knife in his hand before an officer shot him less than 10 seconds later. The Mental Health Department declined to comment on the case but stated that law enforcement support is requested when de-escalation through clinical means is not possible and the person remains an imminent threat.
The video shows conflicting reports between the parents and a clinician regarding Yang’s behavior leading up to the shooting. The clinician stated that Yang had become violent and aggressive, causing the parents to leave the apartment the night before the incident. However, the parents denied that their son was physically violent and said he was simply talking strangely. The encounter with the clinician was not captured on the released video. The family’s attorney criticized the police for not releasing full camera footage and called for an independent investigation.
After the failed attempts to coax Yang out of the apartment, police warn of a potential use of force. When officers enter the apartment, Yang is seen standing with a kitchen knife, and officers demand that he drop it. Yang moves toward the officers with the knife in one hand, and an officer, identified as Andres Lopez, fires several shots at him. Yang drops the knife and is handcuffed by officers while lying motionless. The Los Angeles Fire Department pronounces him deceased, and the county medical examiner reports that he died of multiple gunshot wounds.
Min and Myung Sook Yang are devastated by their son’s death and are seeking answers through an independent investigation and the release of all evidence. They were not given details about what had happened in the apartment until later, and law enforcement did not directly contact them to inform them of their son’s death. Min Yang expressed his sorrow for his son’s untimely death and questioned why police resorted to gunfire so quickly instead of attempting to calm his son down and take him to the hospital. The family is calling for transparency and accountability in the handling of mental health crises involving law enforcement.
