The San Luis Obispo Police Department on Wednesday released a video depicting body-worn camera footage of the May 2021 officer-involved shooting that killed Det. Luca Benedetti and seriously wounded one other.
The police department released the video, which contains additional information from the subsequent investigation, "in the interest of transparency" and in response to Public Records Act requests, the department said in a press release.
It provides additional context to May 2021 burglary crimes being investigated by the department prior to the detectives conducting a court-authorized search warrant at the suspect’s residence on May 10 when the shooting occurred.
The video, which can be viewed below in its entirety, includes findings of the investigation by the SLO County Sheriff’s Office and the subsequent review of that investigation by the SLO County District Attorney’s Office.
That investigation and review, police said, determined detectives conducting the search warrant were fired upon “while exercising their legal duties” and that the suspect, Eddie Giron, fired on police without provocation.
Police also said the investigation and review found officers were justified in their use of force against Giron, who was shot multiple times by officers but ultimately killed himself using Det. Benedetti’s department-issued rifle.
Audio in the video released by the department appears to depict the moment Giron shoots himself, who was in his apartment alone at the time the shot is fired, police said.
“While the material in the video is deeply disturbing,” the department said in the press release, “… we hope this release of information provides greater insight into what happened that terrible day.”
Det. Steve Orozco was the second officer who was hit by gunfire. The video depicts a bloodied Orozco who says he was struck in the head and arm by Giron.
“The events of that day forever changed our agency and community,” the department said in the release. “We will always remember and honor the actions of Det. Orozco, the selfless service shown by officers and dispatchers, and we will be forever grateful for the sacrifice made by Det. Benedetti on that tragic day.”
Video released by the department:
Investigation into burglaries leads to search warrant for Giron's residence
The San Luis Obispo Police Department received four reports of commercial burglaries in the days and hours leading up to the shooting on the afternoon of May 10, the department said in the video release.
Information received by detectives during the course of their investigation led detectives to believe Eddie Giron, who lived at an apartment near where the burglaries had taken place, was involved, police said.
Detectives visited Giron's address and found a vehicle matching the one detectives saw on surveillance footage, the video release by the department shows. Detectives saw "in plain view" through the vehicle's windows items inside the car that matched the description of items reported to be stolen during the burglaries.
Detectives, while conducting surveillance outside Giron's residence, obtained a court-authorized search warrant that same afternoon, the video said.
Around 5:13 p.m., detectives twice attempted to reach Giron by phone, who did not answer. Detectives knocked on Giron's door — a notice required by law — and then attempted to use a key provided by the property manager, which did not work.
Detectives then "utilized a ramming device," which can be seen in the video, forcing entry into Giron's residence.
A few seconds later, Det. Benedetti is fatally shot by Giron — the graphic details of which are edited out of the video. Det. Orozco is shot multiple times a short time later.
The full encounter by detectives with Giron is shown in the video embedded above.
