Estate of Lopez v. Torres (SWAT False Informant Killing)
Angel Lopez shot in back and head by SWAT officer while kneeling and complying with orders. Raid based entirely on lies from a heroin dealer informant who falsely claimed Lopez had an AK-47. Lopez was unarmed. No kidnap victim was found.
What Happened
On the evening of October 2, 2012, San Diego SWAT officers stormed a City Heights apartment under the pretense of rescuing a kidnapped victim and seizing an AK-47 assault rifle. The raid was predicated entirely on intelligence provided by a heroin dealer turned confidential informant, later identified as Anonymous Informant #1. This informant, facing drug charges, had allegedly told detectives that Angel Lopez—a 36-year-old father of three—was holding a woman hostage and possessed an illegal firearm. No independent investigation was conducted to verify these claims.
Body camera footage and witness accounts later revealed a starkly different reality. Lopez, unarmed and compliant, was kneeling with his hands visible when SWAT Officer Jonathan McCarthy fired two shots into his back and head. The so-called "kidnapped victim" was never found, and no weapons were recovered from the scene. The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) initially claimed Lopez had "lunged" at officers, a narrative contradicted by forensic evidence and multiple eyewitnesses, including Lopez’s girlfriend, who stated he was surrendering when he was killed.
The aftermath exposed a pattern of reckless reliance on uncorroborated informant tips by the SDPD and the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office. Despite glaring inconsistencies, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis declined to file criminal charges against McCarthy, citing "justified use of force." The Lopez family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in 2014, which ultimately resulted in a $1.5 million settlement—but no admission of wrongdoing from the city or the officers involved.
Key Players
Timeline
Outcome
The killing of Angel Lopez resulted in no accountability for the officers or officials involved. Despite overwhelming evidence that the raid was based on false information and that Lopez was executed while complying with orders, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis refused to pursue criminal charges against Officer Jonathan McCarthy. The SDPD’s Internal Affairs Division similarly cleared McCarthy of any wrongdoing, reinforcing a culture of impunity within the department.
The Lopez family’s wrongful death lawsuit, filed in 2014, culminated in a $1.5 million settlement in 2016. However, the settlement included no admission of fault from the city or its officers, and McCarthy remained employed by the SDPD. The case exposed systemic failures in how the SDPD and the DA’s office handle informant-based operations, particularly when those informants have incentives to fabricate information.
Why This Matters
The killing of Angel Lopez is a stark example of how unchecked reliance on confidential informants can lead to deadly consequences. In this case, a heroin dealer facing criminal charges provided false intelligence that directly resulted in the death of an unarmed man. The SDPD’s failure to independently verify the informant’s claims—and the DA’s refusal to hold officers accountable—highlights a dangerous pattern of prosecutorial and law enforcement misconduct in San Diego County.
This case also underscores the broader issue of SWAT raids being deployed based on flimsy or fabricated evidence. Nationwide, no-knock warrants and militarized police operations have repeatedly led to unnecessary deaths, often targeting communities of color. The Lopez case is a reminder of the urgent need for transparency, accountability, and reform in how informant-based operations are conducted and reviewed.