OCDA Clears Santa Ana Officer in Shooting Death of Hans Arellano
Updated: Aug 12, 2020
On July 30, 2013, Santa Ana police officer Stephen Chavez conducted a homeless sweep around 2:45 p.m. in the city's Harbor Place Shopping Center. The owner of Cafe Lu in the plaza off South Harbor Blvd. and West McFadden Street told Chavez the day before that a transient refused to leave his business and made female employees uncomfortable. Chavez returned to Cafe Lu, but no problems were reported. Upon leaving the establishment, the officer crossed paths with 22-year-old Hans Arellano, though, at a makeshift mattress shelter. He issued commands in vain for Arellano to leave and later attempted to arrest him but the man fled on foot.
What happened next ultimately ended with Arellano being killed by another officer responding to the scene. The Orange County District Attorney's (OCDA) office justified the fatal shooting in a report made public this week.
Read more on my latest OC Weekly Navel Gazing Blog post:
http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2014/06/oc_da_deems_deadly_santa_ana.php