Report: Suspect that Shot Officers Was Free Because of George Gascon Undercutting ‘Three Strike’ Law

A Los Angeles Times report indicates the suspect who shot and killed two El Monte, California, police officers Tuesday was on the streets because of L.A. District Attorney George Gascon’s policy undercutting the state’s “Three Strikes” law.

Breitbart News previously noted FOX News correspondent Bill Melugin’s tweet that the individual who killed two officers on Tuesday was a gang member who was out on the streets because of Gascón’s policies.

However, the LA Times’ report brings greater specificity to bear on the issue by pointing out that the particular policy that allowed the suspect to remain free on the streets was Gascon’s policy undercutting the “Three Strikes” law.

The Times explains:

[The suspect] was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and methamphetamine when he was arrested by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies in 2020.

[He[ had been convicted of burglary in 2011. A prior conviction on certain felonies is considered a strike. Strikes make suspects charged with later crimes eligible for harsher sentences. [His] earlier conviction means he had one strike against him when he was charged in 2020.

However, the Times notes that Deputy Dist. Atty. Larry Holcomb said the “strike” had to be removed from the suspect’s record because of a “special directive” issued by Gascon. A disposition report reviewed by the Times  showed that Gascon’s directive prohibited prosecutors from filing “strikes.”

Breitbart News pointed out that Gascon is facing a recall effort that reached the threshold number of signatures Wednesday for triggering a recall vote. The campaign to recall him will continue gathering additional signatures until the July 6 deadline, as insurance against the likelihood some signatures may be mistaken or invalid.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio and a Turning Point USA Ambassador. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. Reach him at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.