In November 2018, Laudemer Arboleda, 33, was shot nine times by a police officer in Danville, a wealthy San Francisco suburb. Three years later, the town of Danville, along with Contra Costa County, agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by his family for $4.9 million. The announcement of the settlement came after the trial of Officer Andrew Hall in Arboleda’s killing.
After a three-week trial and just two hours of deliberation on October 27, 2021, jurors found Hall guilty of felony assault with a firearm but did not convict him on a charge of voluntary manslaughter. Hall faces up to 17 years in prison.
However, the charges against Hall were not announced until 2 ½ years after Arboleda, a Filipino native who lived in Newark, was shot. During that time, Hall fatally shot another mentally ill man, Tyrell Wilson, who also was homeless. Wilson’s family said he suffered from paranoia and depression. Hall is White, while Wilson was Black. Wilson’s shooting is still under investigation.
Arboleda’s family filed the lawsuit prior to the filing of criminal charges in their loved one’s death.
First Police Officer Shooting Criminal Charges
The charges against Hall were filed the day after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted for killing George Floyd. It marked the first time in the county’s history that the District Attorney filed criminal charges against a police officer in the aftermath of a shooting.
Hall is on paid administrative leave from the Contra County Sheriff’s Office, which provides police services to Danville. He was cleared by the Sheriff’s Office for misconduct in relation to Arboleda’s death. It was not until he shot Wilson that he was put on paid administrative leave.
Shot After Slow Speed Chase
According to the claim, someone called the Danville Police Department at 11 a.m. on November 3, 2018, to report a man acting suspiciously. He was apparently knocking on doors in the neighborhood. No criminal behavior was reported.
Police officers found Arboleda in his car. He then drove away, leading police officers on a low-speed chase through the town. It was a busy Saturday afternoon, with many people on the streets.
Hall heard about the pursuit on his squad car radio and drove to an intersection to block Arboleda’s car. As Arboleda slowly drove by police at Front Street and Diablo Road, Hall opened fire into the moving vehicle. A total of ten shots were fired.
Arboleda was unarmed.
Psychosis and Schizophrenia
A few months earlier, Arboleda was involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital for three weeks. He received a diagnosis of psychosis and schizophrenia and was prescribed medication.
Body Camera Footage
The dashcam footage from Hall’s police car, as well as footage from body cameras, shows him jumping out of the vehicle, running up to Arboleda, and firing 10 shots through the passenger window and windshield. Only one bullet missed Arboleda.