Justice For Victor Ortega

On June 4, 2012, 31 year old, Victor Ortega was executed by San Diego Police Officer Jonathan McCarthy. According to witnesses Victor was lying on the ground and in compliance with the officers’ demands. Initially, McCarthy claimed he shot Victor because his back-up gun fell from its holster and Victor reached for it. He later claimed he shot Victor because he was “too tired to continue with the arrest”. A witness heard the officer shouting “Get on the ground!” at Victor and Victor responding, “Are you kidding me?” right before he was shot. Victor was already on the ground face down with both arms cuffed before he was shot, a police lieutenant later admitted. The Ortega family filed a federal lawsuit claiming Ortega’s civil rights were violated, and that the officer had no reason to pull the trigger. U.S. District Judge has recently noted inconsistencies in some of the statements made by McCarthy, who claimed Victor tried to take away his service weapon. There is a further inconsistency around Officer McCarthy’s use of a non-lethal Taser and the facts leading up to the struggle between McCarthy and Ortega. Victor Ortega was a loving father, husband, son, grandson,brother, nephew, cousin, and friend to many people.