There will be no charges filed against the LA County Sheriff’s Deputy who, two years ago, fatally shot a man in the back in Willowbrook.
Fred Williams III was pursued, shot and killed by a deputy in October of 2020. After meeting with the District Attorney’s office on Monday, Williams’s father said he’s not surprised the deputy won’t be prosecuted.
“I’m disappointed today,” said Fred Williams Jr., father to the man who was shot. “I kind of expected it, I kind of knew what was going to happen when I came down here to meet with these guys.”
Williams Jr. says he’s mentally drained, after a meeting with LA DA staff confirmed the unnamed deputy who fatally shot 25-year-old Williams III will face no charges for the killing.
“Basically they said they didn’t have enough evidence to prosecute the officer,” Williams Jr. said. “Not saying that he was wrong, or that he was right.”
Deputy body cameras showed Williams III trying to escape Century Station patrols by running through backyards and hopping onto a shed — where he was shot by the deputy.
Outrage boiled over in Willowbrook one day after a man was shot and killed by a deputy there. As seen on NBC LA at 11 p.m. Saturday Oct. 17, 2020.
At the time, the Sheriff’s Department claimed that Williams III had a gun in his hand. But attorneys for Williams III’s family claim that doesn’t justify the deputy firing gunshots.
“The gentleman, Mr. Williams, who was on the shed, posed no threat whatsoever to [the deputy],” said attorney for the Williams family, Steve Solender. “He didn’t point the gun at him, he didn’t turn to him. He had his back to him.”
“He didn’t check to see whether there was anybody, a threat, or anything,” said Williams Jr. “He just fired shots as soon as he came around that corner.”
Kenyatta Lot, mother of Williams III, filed a civil rights lawsuit last year against the LA County Sheriff’s Department.
At that time, the department replied “Any loss of life is tragic and our hearts go out to the family of Mr. Williams III. We are unable to comment on pending litigation.”
LA County Sheriffs did not comment on the latest developments with the DA.
Months after Williams III was killed, a Coroners Inquest Hearing was held. At that hearing, the unnamed deputy refused to appear, and detectives handling the case refused to testify.
Williams Jr. has his own legal action pending in the case.
“We won’t stop fighting,” he said. “We’re gonna press forward. We’re gonna go with whatever options we have available to us to keep pressing forward, to get justice for my son.”
