Among some of the most traumatic and life-changing forms of police misconduct is officer-involved shootings, which nearly always leave victims and their families looking for answers, accountability, and justice. If you or someone you love has been harmed during a police shooting, a Newport Beach officer-involved shooting lawyer from Greg Peacock Law is here for you during this challenging time. Together, we can hold these broken systems accountable.
Unfortunately, in Newport Beach, police misconduct, including deadly force and law enforcement shooting cases have been a documented concern for decades, with even recent data reflecting patterns that raise serious questions about the use of force by law enforcement in our community.

Officer-involved shootings happen when a police officer discharges their weapon during an emergency call, stop, or arrest. While some shootings occur during situations that are dangerous, many result from poor assessment of threats, violations of department policy, or excessive force.
Such incidents commonly come with complicated legal questions, such as whether the police officer reasonably attempted to de-escalate the situation, whether there was a valid perception of a threat, and whether the force used was proportional to the perceived threat. Moreover, these policies and rules are typically used to protect police officers and their departments, instead of community members who have been harmed.

In recent years, Newport Beach has experienced multiple documented police shootings, with the numbers reflecting how incidents involving discharges of police firearms are not isolated. Even when an injury does not happen as a result, firing a weapon represents a considerable use of power that should undergo investigation and legal scrutiny.
From 2016 to 2022, there were three documented police shootings, reflecting a rate of 1.6 police shootings for every 100,000 arrests. This means that Newport Beach has more police shootings per arrest than 31% of US police departments. Moreover, between 2013 and 2023, there were two killings by police, equating to 0.6 killings for every 10,000 arrests. Newport Beach has more killings by police per arrest than 39% of police departments in the nation.
These numbers show how police shootings are happening in Newport Beach at a higher frequency than in a large number of departments across the country. This points to systemic problems in supervision and oversight, threat assessment, training, and the culture in the department. With there being multiple shootings across several years, it’s important to note that this is a pattern that requires independent investigation for each case.
The dedicated civil rights legal team at Greg Peacock Law has years of combined experience taking on police misconduct cases, including those that involve illegal discharging of weapons, wrongful death, excessive force, and wrongful searches & seizures or convictions. We take on cases across Orange County and the state of California, particularly in cities that suffer from disproportionately high rates of police violence.
We are ready to leverage our empathy, experience, and knowledge to identify policy and rights violations, analyze complex evidence like ballistics analysis, and develop a strong case for you and your family to hold individuals and systems accountable for the deep harm done.
An officer-involved shooting is an incident that happens when a police officer or law enforcement officer fires their weapon at an individual, regardless of whether or not the person is hit or ends up being killed. Officer-involved shootings are incidents that are deeply damaging to individuals, families, and communities, typically involving violations of department policies, improper assessments of threat, and the use of excessive force.
Yes, after an officer-involved shooting, it is possible to file a civil lawsuit against individual officers, the Newport Beach Police Department, or, depending on your case, the city of Newport Beach. These types of claims could involve the violations of constitutional rights, battery, wrongful death, or the use of excessive force. It’s important to note that claims involving government entities have strict timelines, so it’s important to act fast.
If someone you loved has been shot by the police, it’s crucial to get immediate medical care, collect any evidence and documents you may have, and get in touch with a Newport Beach officer-involved shooting lawyer as soon as you can. By involving an attorney early on, you can work to preserve crucial evidence such as statements from witnesses, 911 calls, dispatch logs, body cam footage, and forensic reports. Receiving justice is the first step toward healing.
Important evidence in an officer-involved shooting case depends on the specific details of your situation. By working with an experienced attorney, they can help determine and collect crucial evidence for your case, such as surveillance videos, body camera footage, ballistics analysis, eyewitness statements, dash cam videos, and radio transmissions. If your loved one passed away, autopsy reports may also be analyzed.
A dedicated attorney can work to secure crucial evidence for your case before it gets manipulated or lost.
While it is not required by law to have a lawyer for an officer-involved shooting case, it is highly recommended, as police shootings are some of the most aggressively defended and complex types of civil rights cases. A dedicated lawyer can work to expose inconsistencies in officer statements, challenge conflicting evidence, work closely with forensic experts, and develop a formidable case against the officers, department, and even city.
Being involved in an officer-involved shooting in Newport Beach or Orange County is extremely traumatizing and can leave scars for the rest of your life. Greg Peacock Law understands the significant damages that police shootings have on families, communities, and even our state and country, and is therefore here to help you fight against this injustice.
You don’t have to fight this emotional and legal battle alone. Reach out to our office so that we can become your fiercest advocate and uncover the truth. The rights of your family matter, and the story of your loved one deserves to be heard. Hire an officer-involved shooting lawyer today and get the justice you deserve.