LAPD Officer Aims Less-Lethal Weapon at Dodgers World Series Crowd

When a federal jury in Los Angeles awarded $11.8 million to Isaac Castellanos—a former Cal State Long Beach student and competitive gamer—for permanent vision loss in one eye caused by an LAPD less-lethal projectile during the Dodgers’ 2020 World Series celebration, the verdict didn’t just close a six-year legal battle. It sent a ripple through communities nationwide where large public gatherings intersect with police crowd-control tactics, prompting urgent questions about safety protocols in cities that routinely host championship parades, festival crowds, and downtown celebrations. For residents of places like Austin’s Sixth Street district during SXSW or Seattle’s Pike Place Market during sports victories, this case isn’t distant headlines—it’s a benchmark for what accountability looks like when festive moments turn traumatic due to alleged excessive force.

The incident unfolded near what is now Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles, where Castellanos said he was peacefully celebrating around 1 a.m. On October 28, 2020, after the Dodgers clinched their first World Series title in 32 years. According to trial testimony and evidence presented by his attorneys, LAPD officers advanced on the crowd and fired kinetic impact rounds—specifically 37-mm “skip trace” launchers designed to bounce projectiles off the ground—without warning. Castellanos’ legal team demonstrated that these weapons were discharged from approximately 145 feet away, far exceeding the close-range deployment intended by department policy, allowing the hard foam projectile to rise to eye level and strike him directly in the right eye. The resulting injury ended not only his vision in that eye but also derailed what he described as a promising esports career, having previously won $20,000 in a gaming competition months prior to the incident.

This verdict adds to a growing legal and cultural conversation about the use of less-lethal weapons in civilian spaces, particularly during emotionally charged events. In recent years, cities from Minneapolis to Portland have faced scrutiny over similar deployments during protests and celebrations, with departments reevaluating training, engagement distances, and de-escalation protocols. The Castellanos case highlights a critical gap: while such tools are marketed as alternatives to lethal force, their misuse—especially at improper ranges or angles—can cause catastrophic, life-altering injuries. For urban planners and public safety officials in metro areas that draw massive crowds, the ruling underscores the need for clear, enforceable guidelines on projectile weapon use in confined, celebratory environments where pedestrians may not have clear escape routes or awareness of police movements.

Beyond the courtroom, the financial and personal toll on Castellanos illustrates second-order effects that ripple through local economies. Vision loss in one eye affects depth perception, peripheral awareness, and occupational viability—especially in fields like competitive gaming, graphic design, or skilled trades that rely on visual precision. In a city like Los Angeles, where the entertainment and tech sectors converge, such injuries can disrupt career trajectories in industries that contribute significantly to regional GDP. The potential for triple damages under state law—which Castellanos’ attorneys are pursuing—reflects how jurisdictions are increasingly using financial accountability to deter patterns of conduct deemed reckless or negligent by law enforcement agencies.

Given my background in analyzing how public safety policies intersect with urban life and economic resilience, if this trend impacts you in a major metropolitan area that frequently hosts large gatherings—whether it’s Chicago’s Grant Park during Lollapalooza, Miami’s Bayfront Park during Art Basel, or Atlanta’s Piedmont Park during Peachtree Road Race celebrations—here are the three types of local professionals you need to consult when advocating for safer crowd management:

• Public Safety Policy Analysts: Look for experts with municipal government experience who specialize in use-of-force guidelines, particularly those familiar with DOJ COPS Office recommendations and state-level peace officer standards. They should demonstrate a track record of advising police departments on de-escalation tactics and crowd-control technology evaluation, ideally with published assessments of less-lethal weapon deployment in urban environments.
• Urban Planning Consultants Focused on Event Safety: Seek professionals who have worked with city special events offices or police departments on crowd flow modeling for venues like stadiums, parks, or festival districts. Their expertise should include designing dispersal routes, safe viewing zones, and buffer areas that minimize the need for kinetic impact tools while maintaining public safety—especially in areas with historic architecture or narrow streets that complicate evacuation.
• Civil Rights Attorneys with Police Misconduct Experience: Prioritize lawyers who have successfully litigated excessive force claims under Section 1983 or state civil rights acts, particularly those involving projectile weapons or crowd-control munitions. They should understand municipal liability, know how to preserve bodycam and dispatch records, and have experience working with medical experts to document long-term impacts like vision loss or traumatic brain injury from blunt-force impacts.

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