DOWNEY – The family of a Downey man who was fatally stabbed last year at the Civic Center parking lot has filed a $40 million government tort claim against the city, alleging officials failed to maintain a safe public facility and provide adequate emergency response.
The claim, filed March 6 by the law firm Curd, Galindo & Smith on behalf of the family of Reinaldo Jesus Lefonts, is a required step before a civil lawsuit can be brought against the City of Downey.
Lefonts, described in the filing as a longtime Downey resident, was stabbed Sept. 13, 2025, while charging his electric vehicle at a city-owned charging station in the Civic Center parking lot near the Downey Public Library…