CIVILIAN SHOT, KILLED IN MAMMOTH BY LAW ENFORCEMENT
On Tuesday morning, outside the Mammoth Lakes Library, a man was shot and killed by a Mammoth Lakes Police Officer responding to a civil disturbance call.
The man shot has been identified by The Sheet as Jesus Corona Uribe, 39, a Mammoth Lakes resident who has lived in town for about two decades.
Police dispatch put out a call of a man who appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol who was throwing rocks at passing cars at 11:40 a.m.
As it happens, two MLPD officers were inside the library attending a meeting and two more were at/arriving at Giovanni’s, so the response was immediate.
The shooting took place at 11:41 a.m.
Police could not confirm how many shots were fired, and different people said they heard different numbers. One witness who had been standing outside Mammoth Business Essentials said she thought there were 6-8 shots.
Witnesses in other locations thought they heard three shots.
Police Chief Dan Casabian could neither confirm nor deny whether or not there were multiple shooters.
It appeared to witnesses that Mr. Uribe died on scene. He had been standing, facing officers, near the stop sign at the intersection between the road leading to the library and the spur leading to the Mammoth Unified School District Offices.
While the California Attorney General formerly had discretionary authority to conduct investigations of officer-involved shootings, Assembly Bill 1506, which went into effect in July, 2023, now requires a state prosecutor from the Attorney General’s office to investigate any incidents where an officer-involved shooting resulted in the death of an unarmed civilian.
According to government code 12525.3, “Unarmed civilian” includes anyone who is not in possession of a deadly weapon.
“Deadly weapon” includes, but is not limited to, any loaded weapon from which a shot, readily capable of producing death or other serious physical injury, may be discharged, or a switchblade knife, pilum ballistic knife, metal knuckle knife, dagger, billy, blackjack, plastic knuckles, or metal knuckles.”
The Mono County District Attorney’s office was initially the investigating agency in this case until it was deemed the incident would fall under AB 1506.
The state prosecutor is now tasked in this case to determine if the civilian (Uribe) was unarmed or if there is a reasonable dispute as to whether the civilian was armed.
According to Chief Casabian, of the four “involved” MLPD officers in the incident, those that did not discharge a firearm will resume their regular shifts.
Any officer who discharged a firearm will be placed on paid administrative leave.
The Sheet has learned that one of those involved was a sergeant.
The Sheet spoke to a former employer of Mr. Uribe’s who described him as a hard worker who had fallen on some hard times due to substance abuse but was trying to rebuild his life.
A cursory online search which unearths past MLPD media bulletins revealed Mr. Uribe was arrested in both April and May of 2024 on a variety of charges such as drunk in public, felony vandalism and probation violations.
He was also arrested in 2020 for driving on a suspended license due to a DUI conviction.
His previous employer did not characterize Mr. Uribe as being a violent person.
In the interest of transparency, MLPD plans to host a critical incident community debrief in the coming weeks.
