Long after the headlines fade, families who have lost loved ones to police violence continue their fight for justice. Across Southern California, these families have formed a tight-knit network, supporting each other through protests, court hearings, and efforts to pass state legislation—all while navigating years of unresolved grief.
In the city of Los Angeles alone, police shot 34 people in 2023—up from 31 the previous year—killing 16 of them, according to LAPD data. Of those shootings, 38% involved people experiencing homelessness and 35% involved individuals perceived to have mental illness, highlighting the complex social issues these families say should be addressed through services, not force. The shootings were unevenly distributed across the city: downtown LA and surrounding areas saw the most with 12 shootings, followed by the San Fernando Valley with 9, South LA with 6, and West LA with 5.
After her son Eric Rivera was shot and killed by law enforcement on June 6, 2017, Valerie Rivera has attended protests, police commission hearings, and court hearings. She often wears a t-shirt with Eric Rivera’s face on the front while the back reads “momma of Eric Rivera.” “We’re continuing on with our lives, the families that have been impacted,” Rivera told LA Public Press. While activists and journalists often move onto other issues, she says, “We don’t have that choice.”…