Family of Charlie Towns, man shot and killed by LASD, receives $5.25M settlement

LOS ANGELES - The family of Charlie Towns, who was shot and killed by Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies in 2023, announced Thursday they have reached a $5.25 million settlement with the county. 

Towns, 47, from Pasadena, was shot and killed in what his family called a mental health crisis after deputies witnessed him stabbing people with scissors in Altadena on Jan. 22. According to the LASD, deputies were called to a gas station on the corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and Woodbury Road, for reports that he was chasing people and trying to stab them. 

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Deputies followed Towns, at one point getting out of the patrol car and asking him to drop his weapon. They then got back in the car and continued following him, until they saw him stab an elderly woman and try to stab a man. That's when Towns was shot.

Towns then went down, and struggled to get up despite deputies' clearly shouted commands to "stay down." Deputies shot again, and Towns was declared dead at the scene.

Towns was a father, a part-time maintenance man, and someone who struggled with substance abuse and housing, according to his family. 

The family's attorney, Caree Harper, argued that the deputies could have de-escalated the situation and taken Towns into custody without resorting to deadly force.

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"The settlement represents a significant step towards justice for Towns' family, who have consistently advocated for accountability and reform within the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. They hope this case will serve as a catalyst for change and help prevent similar tragedies in the future," Harper said in a statement.