Cal Poly officer accused of shooting an unarmed man

April 23, 2017

A former Fresno police officer who shot and killed an unarmed man is now working for the Cal Poly Police Department. Shortly after Cal Poly hired Felipe Manuel Lucero, students accused the officer of putting a 21-year-old man in a choke hold after man told the officer to “fuck off.”

In September 2016, Lucerno and another Fresno police officer pulled over and demanded a 40-year-old mentally ill man to drop to the ground, and seconds later began shooting. The officers shot Freddy Centeno nine times.

Centeno died 23 days later in a hospital. [ABC News]

Centeno’s family and police dispute what a video of the shooting depicts. Family members contend the officers did not give Centeno a chance to respond.

The Fresno police department determined i Centeno, who had a black spray nozzle in his shorts, appeared to be grabbing for a gun.

Centeno’s family recently filed a lawsuit against the city of Fresno and the officers.

On March 10, Lucerno, who was working undercover for the Cal Poly Police Department at the time, approached a student he suspected of stealing a bottle of wine from a San Luis Obispo liquor store.

Lucerno then placed Aidan Dugan-Culton in a chokehold and tackled him after the student told the officer to “fuck off.”

Julian Trevizo, a friend of the suspect, witnessed the incident and videotaped the arrest, beginning at the moment police officers were pinning his friend.

Police arrested Dugan-Culton on charges of battery on a peace officer, resisting an officer and shoplifting. Dugan-Culton has pleaded not guilty.