equipped with a removable magazine and a functioning slide. The examination of the handgun corroborated the officers' statements regarding their belief that Marquez was armed with an actual firearm. Marquez also acknowledged in a Facebook post that the BB gun "looked like a [G]lock."
The actions of Marquez also contributed to the officers' belief that she posed an imminent threat to their lives. Marquez pointed the handgun at Carrillo in the bedroom, and it had the desired effect of causing him to fear for his life. Marquez perpetuated Carrillo's belief that the gun was real by not disclosing the handgun was a BB gun. As officers took tactical positions at the bottom of the stairs and repeatedly told her to drop the gun, Marquez continued to remain silent. Her intention, as evidenced by her final Facebook post, sadly appears to have been to end her life. While still in her room, before confronting the officers with the gun, Marquez posted:
"[They're] shooting[.) [C]remate me [and] pour ashes over Hollywood sign."
From the perspective of Carrillo and Perez, Marquez was armed with a firearm and acting erratically. Despite efforts to communicate in conjunction with firm commands, Marquez remained silent. She held the handgun in a manner that conveyed a readiness to use it and descended the stairs with apparent purpose. Carrillo saw the gun pointed in the direction of the officers and Perez described a situation in which Marquez could have "opened fire" on them in an instant. Both officers, in that moment, actually and reasonably feared for their lives. The circumstances reasonably created in their minds a certain and imminent danger, and their response was justified.
CONCLUSION
Based on all the available evidence and the foregoing analysis, we find that Officers Carrillo and Perez acted in lawful self-defense and defense of others. We are closing our file and will take no further action in this matter.
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