The body of Yong Yang (40), who was fatally shot by an LAPD officer, was left unattended in the living room of his home for approximately six hours, according to an autopsy report obtained by our news outlet on July 29.
The County of LA Department of Medical Examiner released Yang’s autopsy report nearly three months after the incident. On August 10, which marks the 100th day since Yang’s death, the authorities have only released a 30-page summary titled “Death Investigation Summary.”
The summary includes the results of Yang’s autopsy and details from the Department of Medical Examiner’s investigation at the scene. The report explicitly states that Yang’s death was ruled a “homicide” after being struck by three bullets fired by the police.
According to the report, the shooting occurred at 11:57 a.m. on May 2, and Yang was pronounced dead at 12:12 p.m., just 15 minutes later.
Concerns have arisen over how the police handled the scene. The report indicates that the police informed the Department of Medical Examiner of Yang’s death at 1:59 p.m., nearly two hours after the incident. The coroner arrived at the scene four hours later, at 6:07 p.m.
CCTV footage released by Yang’s father, Dr. Min Yang, shows that the coroner’s team moved Yang’s body to their vehicle at approximately 6:51 p.m., indicating that the body was left in the living room for nearly six hours.
The Yang family, who had been in police custody for questioning, arrived at the apartment around 6:41 p.m. after being notified. However, no one informed them that Yang’s body was being transported until 10 minutes later, when it was already being loaded into the vehicle.
Dr. Min Yang stated, “We will not be satisfied with just a civil lawsuit. We want the involved officers to be prosecuted,” adding, “If the prosecution does not take action, we plan to send an open letter to the state and federal prosecutors and consider holding protests.”
To date, the authorities have only released the summary report, and the family has not received any further information. The family, through their legal team, filed a claim for damages against the LAPD and LA County Department of Mental Health on June 14, but have yet to receive a clear response within the specified 45-day period. Additionally, no disciplinary action has been taken against the officers involved, and the police have not released their report on the incident.
The report details that Yang suffered penetrating wounds to his left chest and upper abdomen, as well as a perforating wound to his left forearm. The first bullet struck his left chest, damaging his heart and lungs, leading to hemorrhage and injuries in the pericardium and left pleural cavity.
The second and third bullets struck his upper abdomen, causing hemorrhage in the pleural and abdominal cavities and damaging his aorta, liver, pancreas, and stomach. The third bullet perforated his left arm before penetrating his abdomen.
The report noted the findings are consistent with the reported discharge of three bullets.
Abubakr Marzouk, the coroner responsible for the investigation, reported that he found Yang lying on the living room floor with his head facing north and feet facing south. Yang was wearing a gray glove with the index finger and the ring finger cut out.
Marzouk also noted that an oral airway tube was found in Yang’s mouth, with cardiac electrodes attached to his arms and legs. Bandages were tapped to the chest are and once removed two circular defects were observed.
At the scene, the coroner found a 6-inch knife, three 9mm shell casings, a white crystalline substance, and paraphernalia, including a credit card with white residue on it. The locations where these items were discovered were also documented.
Toxicology tests recorded in the report revealed the presence of methamphetamine and amphetamine in Yang’s body. The concentrations found in his chest blood were 0.92 and 0.05 micrograms per milliliter (μg/mL), respectively, while in his femoral blood, the concentrations were 0.56 and 0.03 μg/mL. Medical experts indicate that the 0.92 μg/mL level of methamphetamine found in Yang suggests he was conscious and could have experienced stimulant effects.
Calls for justice in the wake of Yang’s death continue to grow louder. The family and the Justice for Yang Yong Committee (JYYPC) have already held three protests demanding accountability, but there has been little change.
Dr. Min Yang expressed his anguish, stating, “An officer from the LAPD Family Liaison Team informed me that they missed the notification and apologized only after my son’s body had already been taken away. It was heartbreaking not to be able to see my son one last time.”
The Department of Medical Examiner’s spokesperson explained, “It can take up to three months for results from toxicology and other tests to be returned, and all individual reports must be collected and reviewed before the final report can be completed. This report is just one part of the entire report.”
BY SUAH JANG, KYEONGJUN KIM, YOUNGNAM KIM [jang.suah@koreadaily.com]
