Manning & Kass Partner Explains Police Actions in Trader Joe’s Shooting to NBC LA

Mildred K. O’Linn, co-leader of the Manning & Kass Government Entity Liability Team, was interviewed by NBC 4 Los Angeles for a story on the recent officer-involved shooting and hostage situation at a Trader Joe’s in Silver Lake. Drawing on her previous career as a police officer, Ms. O’Linn explained how officers followed procedure throughout the incident and praised their level-headedness during a high-speed chase where the perpetrator recklessly fired multiple shots through his rear windshield. She also defended their decision to fire on the suspect, who had already shot two people, as he fled from his car into the Trader Joe’s.

“That is a split-second decision,” Ms. O’Linn explained. “When that officer comes out of that driver’s side door and makes the decision to fire those rounds, they already know that individual is a murderer. Those officers will probably replay and evaluate their decisions and their actions in those split-seconds for the rest of their lives.”

“Those officers were forced to make that split-second decision and it didn’t work out perfectly and somebody lost their life. That’s tragic, but these officers didn’t do anything wrong.”

Mildred K. O'Linn is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP. Ms. O'Linn has an unparalleled background as an attorney and technical expert in peace officer civil liability, training and tactics and the defense of governmental entities. Ms. O'Linn has received numerous awards and acknowledgments for excellence in representation and for her contributions to the defense of the law enforcement community. See her full interview here (starts at 2:33).