Mharloun Verdejo Saycon, a 39-year-old Filipino man, tragically lost his life on December 14, 2015, in Long Beach, California. The incident occurred at Looff’s Lite-A-Line arcade, where Long Beach police officers responded to a report of a man armed with a knife. Upon arrival, officers found Saycon sitting in a chair, still holding the knife. Despite attempts to subdue him using a Taser and baton, Saycon did not comply with orders to drop the weapon.
The situation escalated, leading to an officer-involved shooting. Saycon was pronounced dead at the scene with multiple gunshot wounds.
The Long Beach Police Department identified the officer involved in the shooting as Vuong Nguyen, a 14-year veteran of the force. The department's investigation into the shooting revealed that Saycon was allegedly waving the knife and frightening people at the arcade. However, Saycon's family disputed this account, filing a legal claim against the Long Beach Police Department. The claim argued that Saycon was sitting silently and not threatening anyone when the officers arrived. It also stated that the officers used a Taser on Saycon without giving any verbal commands and failed to deescalate the situation, despite knowing that Saycon had a mental disability.
The legal claim, which is often a precursor to a lawsuit, accused the officers of using excessive force and called for the Los Angeles County district attorney's office to prosecute the officers involved. The claim highlighted that Saycon was shot eight times in the arm, chest, and abdomen. The Long Beach Police Department's Homicide Detail conducted an investigation, and the findings were to be reviewed by the Los Angeles County district attorney's office to determine if criminal charges were warranted. Additionally, the department's Shooting Review Board was set to review the incident to assess whether the officer's actions were within department policy.
Saycon's family also filed a federal lawsuit against the city, alleging unjustified deadly force and seeking accountability for the officers' actions. The lawsuit emphasized the need for better handling of situations involving individuals with mental disabilities and criticized the officers for not employing deescalation techniques. The case brought attention to the broader issue of police use of force and the treatment of individuals with mental health issues, sparking discussions about necessary reforms in law enforcement practices.
