What to Do If You’re a Victim of an Officer-Involved Shooting
Any routine interaction with a police officer can escalate out of nowhere and lead to you being tased, handcuffed, or shot. It doesn’t even require you to do anything wrong—if an officer feels threatened, there’s always a chance that they’ll reach for their firearm. When this happens, every single thing you do matters—otherwise, an already serious situation could turn fatal. That’s where our team of officer-involved shooting lawyers can step in to help fight for your rights.
At the Law Offices of Dale K. Galipo, you can rest easy knowing that you are in experienced hands. Attorney Dale K. Galipo, founder of the firm, has spent the last 25 years advocating for victims of civil rights violations. He and his team of officer-involved shooting attorneys are committed to helping you get the justice you deserve. Call us at 818-347-3333 to set up a consultation now.
De-Escalate in Any Way Possible
When you’ve been shot once by an officer, any wrong movement—or any right movement that they misinterpret—could lead to a fatal second shot. This is not the time to try to physically defend yourself or disarm the officer, because that will only give them a reason to shoot again. Comply with their commands, regardless of their legality. Although you may be unfairly victimized in these dire circumstances, stay calm, avoid sudden movements, and keep your hands visible. However, being right in the critical moment is not more important than being alive—over 600 people are killed by law enforcement every single year in this country, and we don’t want you to be one of them.
Seek Medical Attention
You need medical care immediately if you’ve been shot. Without prompt treatment, you risk bleeding out, getting infected, and suffering permanent nerve damage. Even if you’re arrested as a result of whatever led up to the shooting, the officers must provide you with medical treatment to stabilize you. If you are free to go, go to the closest emergency room and get your wounds checked out. Make sure you keep copies of any reports, bills, or scans you receive.
Talk to Eyewitnesses
In this day and age, officer-involved shootings rarely happen in a vacuum. There are almost always witnesses, and as the push for justice ramps up, a growing number of people are willing to speak up on behalf of victims. There’s a good chance that someone, or even multiple people, may have cell phone footage of what happened to you. Get contact information from anyone who is nearby and seems sympathetic to your cause; your officer-involved shooting law firm may want to speak with them later.
Look for Surveillance Camera Footage
The majority of businesses and even many private homes now have some form of surveillance cameras capturing the interior and exterior of a building. This footage can be extremely valuable to your officer-involved shooting lawyer, but you may have to act quickly to get it. This is why we recommend hiring a lawyer as soon as possible—they can go through the right channels to get the footage before it is deleted or mysteriously goes missing.
On a similar note, your attorney will also work to recover the officer’s body cam footage. While the footage may or may not actually be available, it can support your case either way.
Stay Out of the Public Eye and Talk to an Officer-Involved Shooting Attorney
We have all seen these shootings go viral and capture the nation’s interest. You may be contacted by news channels, influencers, independent media sources, and others for “your side of the story.” There will be a time to speak out later, but this isn’t it. The police department is likely already circling the wagons to protect themselves, and any statements you give may be twisted and used against you. Instead, take this opportunity to contact a civil rights lawyer and start the process of holding the officer accountable.
Contact the Law Offices of Dale K. Galipo Now
Our officer-involved shooting law firm is determined to stop the epidemic of officer-initiated shootings in the United States. Find out how we can support you —reach out online or call us at 818-347-3333.
