This screenshot from a neighbor's Ring camera shows nearly where Mark Trujillo, right, was standing just before he was hit by gunfire in a March 3, 2024 incident. Trujillo is suing the city and two officers for $50 million.
A Chandler man is suing officers and his city’s police department for $50 million after he says he was shot and partially paralyzed in a March 2024 incident.
In a complaint filed in U.S. District Court, Mark Trujillo says he was shot in the back as an innocent party as Chandler Police were confronting one of Trujillo’s armed neighbors.
The complaint alleges he was shot by officer Nicholas Buenrostro during a March 3, 2024 incident in which Trujillo was out in the street in front of his west Chandler home after calling police about his neighbor.
Attorneys for a man who says, in a $50 million lawsuit against the city of Chandler and two police officers, sent this neighbor's Ring camera video to media outlets. Mark Trujillo, shown here on the right, in the street, is moments from being shot in back by police, who claimed he didn't obey instructions to go back inside his home quickly.
Courtesy of Kelly & Lyons PLLC
The complaint states the next-door neighbor was Luciano Gutierrez, who he told police had been threatening one of Trujillo’s daughters.
Benjamin Taylor of Taylor & Gomez is one of Trujillo’s attorneys. He said Trujillo was far enough away and was unarmed that police should have all seen he posed no threat.
Trujillo was shot in the back as he was passing his vehicle, parked in his driveway, next to his house.
“What threat did he pose?” Taylor asked in a phone interview with Independent Newsmedia this week. “I think they messed up, and they know they messed up. The ball’s in their court now that the suit’s been filed.”
A news release from Chandler Police about the weekend incident states Trujillo was given commands to return to his residence for his own safety, police said, but he refused to comply.
Chandler Police arrived on the scene, set up a perimeter around Gutierrez’s house, and began attempting to talk with Gutierrez.
Trujillo, as seen on body camera footage released by one of his law firms, appears to be walking slowly across his street toward his home as Gutierrez is in a doorway of his own home with a gun. Officers are heard giving Gutierrez commands to drop the weapon and give himself up.
After Gutierrez apparently pointed a weapon at officers, he was shot as multiple shots are heard, and he would later recover from those injuries.
Trujillo, then age 33, who appeared to be between his home and his front door, then falls after being hit by a single shot from Buenrostro, who had what Chandler Police described in their release as a different vantage point.
The release stated Trujillo made movements “indicative of a person armed with a weapon” and was pointing toward officers.
Attorneys for a man who says, in a $50 million lawsuit against the city of Chandler and two police officers, sent this neighbor's Ring camera video to media outlets. Mark Trujillo, shown here on the right, in the street, is moments from being shot in back by police, who claimed he didn't obey instructions to go back inside his home quickly.
Courtesy of Kelly & Pyons PLLC
At one point on the audio, one officer uses the word “innocent” to describe Trujillo being down and injured.
The suit charges police with negligence, assault and battery, negligent infliction of emotional distress and excessive force. It names Buenrostro, the city of Chandler and “officer-in-training” Margaret Diaz as defendants.
The complaint claims Diaz had an obligation to both confirm whether it was safe to shoot before doing so and to confirm the identity of the target before shooting and to attempt to stop Buenrostro from shooting as well.
The complaint states Trujillo’s wife gathered three of their children and huddled in a laundry room of their home for safety.
Taylor said while the $50 million sum is more than what’s sought in most police suits, his client isn’t going to be able to walk again and his ability to work and support his family has been forever affected.
Trujillo’s spinal cord was severed.
“Injuries, medical bills and a lot of trauma,” Taylor said in describing harm to Trujillo.
Jason W. Brooks News Editor | Chandler Independent
Jason W. Brooks joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2021 as an associate editor. After a year covering Buckeye, he has covered Chandler since the fall of 2022, in addition to assisting the Daily Independent throughout his time at INI.
Education: University of New Mexico, bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication, print emphasis, English minor.
Random Fact: He and his siblings witnessed a Space Shuttle launch and landing in the same year in person, on opposite coasts.
Hobbies: Karaoke, bicycling and American Sign Language.
By 
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here