The family of Andres Avila, 26, has filed a Los Angeles County wrongful death case against the Pomona Police Department, Avila was fatally shot by police last month. They are alleging excessive use of police force and racial profiling.

According to Avila's relatives, the altercation with police began a few months ago on July 4 during a family party. They claim that police went into the residence without specific case and started chasing him. They then allegedly beat him. The family says they have cell phone footage of Avila being Tased and assaulted that night. He would go on to file a personnel complaint against the cops that were involved.

On October 16, police allegedly called Avila and his girlfriend and that is when family say the shooting happened. Avila was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police Brutality
Authorities will hopefully investigate any allegations of police brutality. That said, even if no case is filed against officers allegedly involved this doesn't necessarily mean that you still cannot file a Los Angeles County excessive use of force case and win.

Cops are never supposed to use excessive force when doing their job. That's how people can get hurt or fatally shot. Even when apprehending, questioning, or pursuing someone they are not supposed to use more force than necessary.

Unfortunately, there are police officers that use excessive force to abuse, assault, and harm people. This is known as police brutality and may include physical assault, sexual assault, verbal abuse, intimidation, false arrests, psychological abuse, emotional abuse, rape, and false arrests.

Racial Profiling
One of the accusations the family of Avila is making is that he was the victim of racial profiling, which involves the targeting of people of color by law enforcement officials. Like all acts of police brutality, racial profiling is a violation of one's civil rights.

Most people are too scared to report incidents of Los Angeles police brutality for fear of retaliation. They also don't realize that they've been caused undue harm or that they may have grounds for Pomona personal injury recovery.

Our Anaheim personal injury lawyers frequently report on allegations, claims, and lawsuits by people in Orange County, Los Angeles County, Riverside County, and San Bernardino County on our California Injury Lawyers Blog. Be sure to follow our reports, such as this story, for updates.

For the families who have lost someone because of excessive use of police force, know too that you may have reason for a Los Angeles wrongful death case.

Excessive use of force is an abuse of police power. Police officers and their departments should be held liable for misconduct that causes injury or death.

Probe under way into fatal Pomona police shooting, ABC Local, October 16, 2011

Pomona Police Hit with Wrongful-Death Claim, MyFoxLA, November 1, 2011