Santa Ana police released body camera video on Wednesday showing the moments before officers shot and killed 15-year-old Jaden Michaca after responding to what his family says was a mental health crisis.
The video shows officers entering the home on the night of June 14 after receiving a 911 call from Jaden’s stepfather, who told dispatchers the teen had a history of mental illness and was experiencing another episode that he feared was dangerous for both himself and Jaden’s mother.
When officers arrived, they found the stepfather outside, bleeding from his arm. “He already locked the door. He stabbed me with the knife,” he told officers.
Inside the home, bodycam video captured Jaden’s mother desperately pleading with her son in Spanish to drop the knife in his hands.
Police said Jaden refused to drop the knife and then stepped toward officers.
“Hey brother. We’re here to help! We’re here to help you!” an officer said moments before police opened fire.
“Please do not shoot! Please do not shoot! My son is having a mental health crisis!” said Maribel Michaca, Jaden’s mother.
The mother explained, “They just started shooting – one bullet after another bullet. They didn’t even care about my own life being in danger.” Maribel’s hand was shot and her right thumb was immobilized in a brace.
The body camera video shows police opening fire on Jayden Michaca after telling him several times to drop the weapon.
Michaca was pronounced dead at the scene, while the 53-year-old man was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Michaca’s mother was also injured and was treated at the scene.
The family’s attorney said the incident should have been handled as a mental health emergency, not a deadly force encounter. “They knew that they were supposed to take certain steps and they disregarded all of that, and they decided that using and resorting to deadly force was the acceptable option,” the attorney said.
Michael Carillo, one of the lawyers representing the family, said they were filing a government claim against the city of Santa Ana and SAPD, accusing the officers of negligence and a failure to de-escalate the situation.
Michaca said her son had been dealing with mental health issues. “He had bipolar. He had mental crisis. There’s a few diagnoses. I can’t remember all of them on top of my head, but Santa Ana PD had record of all of this,” she said.
According to Michaca, the family called police that night seeking help because Jaden was having an episode. She said they expected a crisis or psychiatric team to respond.
Michaca said “These police officers didn’t care. They just shot him in front of my eyes.” Santa Ana police said Tuesday that responding officers were not aware of a mental health crisis and that they were told by the 911 caller that a stabbing had occurred.
Santa Ana police maintain that officers did not know Jaden’s mental health history when they responded that night. Police said the shooting remains under separate investigations by the department’s Internal Affairs Unit, its Homicide Detail and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
Family members held large photos of Michaca, where he was shown cradling his pet cat, embracing family in front of a cake for his birthday, and standing with his mother.
A school counselor who knew Jaden stated Michaca “had the biggest heart of any kid I’ve worked with, he was sweet and kind, but he happened to be in a body that looked a little bit older, and that of a Chicano male. I can’t deny that that was a factor in what happened.” Michaca’s death is one of many cases of Chicanos being killed by police across Orange County, including three teenage police shooting victims in the last seven months.
In the viral moment that sparked the family’s legal action, officers responded to a 911 call after Jaden’s stepfather said the teen had a history of mental illness and was experiencing another episode. When officers arrived, they found the stepfather outside, bleeding from his arm, saying “He already locked the door. He stabbed me with the knife.” Inside, the mother pleaded with her son in Spanish to drop the knife, and police said Jaden refused to drop the knife and then stepped toward officers. According to police spokeswoman Natalie Garcia, “Our officers breached the door and entered. They see Jaden, still armed with a knife, and, unfortunately, that’s when the officer-involved shooting occurred.”
Nine days after the fatal encounter, Michaca’s family announced the filing of a legal claim against the city of Santa Ana and the Santa Ana Police Department. Legal claims are generally considered a precursor to a lawsuit.
His family is now suing the city of Santa Ana, alleging officers used unjustified deadly force.