South Gate slapped with lawsuit after shooting unarmed man 16 times

SOUTH GATE, Calif. (KABC) -- The city of South Gate has been slapped with a lawsuit after officers shot an unarmed man 16 times. The man's lawyer released new video of the shooting.

Daniel Canizales, who didn't want his face shown, sued the city of South Gate Wednesday after he was shot 16 times earlier this year. Doctors have told Canizales he may never walk again.

"It's just real sad and depressing. I thank God that I'm here," he said.

This video released by Canizales' lawyer shows the 23-year-old walking along Paramount Boulevard at 8:30 a.m. back on Jan. 29. According to witnesses, South Gate police ordered the man several times to put his hands up, but officers weren't able to see his right hand and Canizales continued to walk down the street. That's when he was shot 16 times. Thirteen bullets hit the left side of his body, shattering his left knee cap.

"He will need lifetime medical attention for his left knee cap and that's why we're here today, to seek justice because what these officers did was totally against the law," attorney Luis Carrillo said.

Police were responding to a call about a disturbance at a business, and Canizales was not armed. His brother, Alejandro Somoza, spoke on behalf of his family about what they have had to deal with.

"The nerves are damaged permanently. That hurts to know that my brother might not be able to walk anymore," Somoza said.

"Officers can shoot someone if the person is an imminent threat to their safety. What imminent threat to these officers safety was Daniel when he walking down the street with his arms visible and no gun is there?," Carrillo asked.

Eyewitness News reached out to the city of South Gate but did not hear back. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is still investigating the officer-involved shooting.