Who was Sandra Lopez-Ochoa? Bodycam shows woman knifing Vegas officer in head before she is shot dead
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: The woman who was shot and killed by Las Vegas police last week while they were investigating a domestic battery complaint slashed one officer in the head first, according to bodycam footage shown to reporters on Monday.
Sandra Lopez-Ochoa, 25, stabbed the officer with a kitchen knife in an East Las Vegas apartment as he began to pull her by the wrist, according to the video and a description provided by Assistant Clark County Sheriff Sasha Larkin.
How was Sandra Lopez-Ochoa killed?
Lopez-Ochoa was killed by five shots fired from Officer Rudy Sacba's 9mm handgun, according to Larkin.
Following the shooting, the injured male officer's body camera video showed blood dripping from his brow, as reported by New York Post.
What happend between Sandra Lopez-Ochoa and police officers?
LVMPD video begins with Lopez-Ochoa sitting on a couch and saying, "Um, but can I like tell my part?"
The officer says, "Yeah. That’s what I was going to ask you about." "Oh, OK," she responds.
Lopez-Ochoa then begins speaking before stopping and motioning to Sacba to remove his hand from his holster.
What did Sandra Lopez-Ochoa ask from police officer?
She says, "I’m sorry, can you just like, not, like, touch your gun or something?" Sacba’s partner responds, "It’s actually on his holster, it’s something that we do, it’s nothing, it’s not like we are going..."
Lopez-Ochoa then says to Sacba, "No, I’m asking you that." He tells her, "I’m going to keep it here, I’m just resting my hand, I’m not holding the gun," as reported by Fox News.
Lopez-Ochoa then gets up from the couch, and Sacba's partner tells her to put her hands behind her back before she lunges at him with a knife.
Following the sound of the shots, the officer who was slashed is seen touching his forehead to examine the wound. Blood can be seen dripping from an area above his brow.
Sacba asks him, "Hey, are you good?” "Yeah,” the officer replies. His camera shows blood on a blue surgical glove on his hand.
The officer's injury, according to Larkin, was "definitely more than superficial," but he was treated in a hospital, was recuperating at home, and is expected to be able to return to active police duty.
Sacba, 32, a police officer since 2021, is on paid leave while the department and district attorney investigate the shooting.
Why did Sandra Lopez-Ochoa and her brother call the police?
Lopez-Ochoa and her brother, whose name was not provided, both called police around 1 am Friday, according to Larkin.
Did Lopez-Ochoa tried to choke her brother?
Lopez-Ochoa tried to choke him, according to the brother. Lopez-Ochoa, who is sitting on the couch, tells the officers that her brother assaulted her.
According to Larkin, this was the second fatal shooting involving Las Vegas police officers this year.
This compares to seven shootings last year, four of which were fatal.
What would have been the charges against Sandra Lopez-Ochoa if she survived?
If Lopez-Ochoa had survived, she would have been charged with battery/strangulation, attempted murder on a first responder, and assault with a deadly weapon on a first responder, according to Larkin.
