Family of man fatally shot by LAPD during mental health call files federal suit

The family of Yong Yang, a 40-year-old man shot and killed by Los Angeles police during a mental health crisis response in May 2024, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Sunday — on the two-year anniversary of his death — alleging officers forced entry into his home and used lethal force without proper warning or de-escalation attempts.

The lawsuit challenges what the family's legal team describes as LAPD's systemic pattern of forcing entry and deploying lethal force during mental health calls — an issue drawing close attention from Korean-American families across Orange County and the broader Southern California region, where concerns about law enforcement crisis response have grown.

Yang was shot three times inside his parents' Los Angeles home on May 2, 2024, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. His family had contacted the LA County Department of Mental Health requesting that he be taken to a hospital — not for police to be called — after he fell into a severe bipolar episode marked by paranoia and intense fear. A department clinician then reached LAPD, which sent officers who forced their way into the residence.

Family attorney Dale K. Galipo said Yang had picked up a kitchen knife out of fright, not to harm anyone. "Yong was paranoid. He was afraid. He had grabbed a knife to protect himself. He was in no way trying to attack anyone or hurt anyone. And the police, without proper commands, without a warning that they were going to use deadly force, fired three shots and two volleys, killing him," Galipo said outside the federal courthouse, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

The LA Police Commission had previously voted 5-0 that officer Andres Lopez acted inappropriately in the lead-up to the shooting. The same body voted 3-2 that Lopez reasonably believed his life was in danger when he opened fire, ABC7 Los Angeles reported.

On the second anniversary of Yang's death, his twin brother, Yin Yang, led a vigil at the federal courthouse that drew families impacted by similar officer-involved shootings. "He needed you to escort him to the hospital. Not kill him inside his own parents' house," Yin Yang said, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

Yin Yang also addressed the prolonged legal fight directly. "You guys think like two years is going to make us forget. But look at all these people. We haven't forgotten. We're never going to forget. You can drag it out as long as you want, but we're not going to stop until there's justice," he said, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

LAPD declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing pending court proceedings, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

"I had every intention of living the rest of my life with my brother by my side. They took that away from me. They took that away from me, and I can't tell you how hard that's been," Yin Yang told supporters gathered outside the courthouse, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. A separate state court lawsuit remains pending and is expected to go to trial in fall 2026.