May 7, 2026 6:17 PM PDT
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said his office will review the circumstances of the Yong Yang case “second by second” before deciding whether to file charges against LAPD Officer Andres Lopez, who fired the fatal shots.
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Hochman made the remarks during a town hall meeting held on May 12 at the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles.
It marked the first time the head of the LA County District Attorney’s Office, which has the authority to charge LAPD officers, publicly addressed the Yang case.
Speaking about the case, Hochman noted that May 2 marked the second anniversary of Yang’s death in an LAPD officer-involved shooting. His remarks reflected the District Attorney’s Office’s awareness of the case’s significance to the Korean American community.
“There is no tragedy like losing a son,” Hochman said. “Officer-involved shooting cases are among the most difficult cases prosecutors review. But we analyze all the circumstances and focus on the lead-up to the actual shooting before deciding whether charges are warranted.”
Before the town hall, Hochman held a private meeting for about 15 minutes with Yang’s parents, Dr. Min Yang and Myung Sook Yang, as well as Korean American Federation of LA President Robert Ahn and Irene Lee, special counsel to the LA County district attorney.
“These conversations are an important opportunity for prosecutors to understand the different aspects of a case and to hear directly from the family about their concerns,” Hochman said. He added that his office would conduct a thorough investigation.
The LA County District Attorney’s Office currently investigates LAPD officer-involved shootings through its Justice System Integrity Division, or JSID.
Gilbert Wright, a deputy district attorney who oversees JSID, told The Korea Daily that when an officer-involved shooting occurs, district attorney investigators also examine the scene, interview relevant parties and review video footage and other evidence.
“After the LAPD Force Investigation Division report is submitted to prosecutors, we review it, and if anything is missing, we conduct additional investigation to determine what happened,” Wright said.
He added that the District Attorney’s Office then decides whether to file charges, a process that can take anywhere from at least six months to several years.
Hochman said that if charges are filed, prosecutors will do their best to present relevant evidence and arguments in court.
But if the office decides not to file charges, he said prosecutors will prepare a detailed memorandum explaining the decision and post it on the District Attorney’s Office website.
“That memorandum will include what we reviewed and the legal basis for the decision,” Hochman said.
Yang’s family remains concerned about whether the investigation will be sufficient.
During the meeting, Yang’s father asked Hochman how prosecutors can verify the accuracy of the LAPD Force Investigation Division report, especially when many district attorney investigators are former law enforcement officers.
Hochman responded that establishing the facts is critical because prosecutors must be able to explain the case to a jury in court.
“JSID includes some of the most experienced prosecutors among the more than 800 prosecutors in the LA County District Attorney’s Office,” Hochman said.
During the town hall, Hochman was also asked whether he would follow pressure from a future California governor to prosecute federal immigration enforcement agents.
“I do not work for the governor or the mayor of Los Angeles,” Hochman said. “I am responsible for public safety in Los Angeles County.”
Among current candidates for California governor, Tom Steyer has repeatedly called for the prosecution of federal immigration enforcement officers, including agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.