The family of Jonathan Lopez said detectives told them Thursday their son was shot six times in the back because the officer thought he was going to run. Police would neither confirm nor deny this to 17 News.
Detectives visited the Lopez family at their home Thursday morning. The family said what they heard was worse than they expected.
"The detective straight told me that the officer fired six rounds into my son's back when he was getting up from the floor because he thought he was going to run," said Bernie Lopez, Jonathan Lopez's father. Lopez said that was the news detectives gave him and his wife.
Bakersfield police said Officer Keith Cason thought Lopez was armed when he shot him, but realized when he arrested Lopez that he was not.
"My son is wounded bad. He can't run no more and yet he fired six rounds to his back. He did it because he wanted to kill him," said Lopez.
Police did not grant an on-camera interview Thursday and would not discuss the family's claim, saying it's too early in the investigation. The family is furious.
"He committed a murder. I know he took an oath of the law. He broke that law. He murdered my son," said Lopez. "He shot him six times on the back. To me, that's cold-blooded murder."
According to police, Lopez fired a round at Officer Cason before Lopez ditched his gun. Police said they later found the gun with witness help. 17 News spoke to a man who said the gun was found under his oven.
"They told me they found it under my stove. I told them I cooked dinner on that damn thing tonight. That's not cool," said the man.
Police said Edna Diaz hid Lopez's gun under the stove. Fearing for his family's and his own safety he does not want to be named but here's what he told us.
"Edna said 'Hey, can I come over here?' I'm like sure because she was a nice lady so she came in the house. She didn't have no purse. She had her cigarettes and her phone all wrapped in a towel, and I am like, 'Edna have a seat,'" said the man.
The man said that's when he suspects Diaz hid the gun.
The man says police told him the revolver was loaded and that Lopez threw the gun over a green fence before Diaz picked it up. Police said witnesses led them to the man's apartment.
"Apparently somebody seen her grab, pick it up and bring it into my house," said the man.
