Family files lawsuit against Richmond police in fatal 2025 shooting of Jose Mendez-Rios

RICHMOND, Calif. (KGO) — Imer Mendez and his family filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Richmond Police Department on Monday. Video shows his father, Jose de Jesus Mendez-Rios, was isolated, backed up against a fence, facing a ravine and experiencing a mental health episode.

One officer can be heard in the video saying: “Jose, need you to drop the knife, bud.” Another officer repeats it Spanish.

But the lawsuit claims Mendez wasn’t carrying a knife – simply a knife cover. That he was unarmed. Though that may have been hard for officers to see from a distance.

“There more than 10 officers there that night,” explains lawyer Marlon Monroe. “These officers had nearly an hour to formulate, to strategize about a better plan, that would be able to get Mr. Mendez home safely.”

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The shooting happened in February of 2025, but the video was just released this past Friday.

As Mendez makes a move, the lawsuit claims Mendez-Rios was “gunned down in hail of bullets by City of Richmond police officers Nicholas Remick and Jessica Khalil.”

Adding that they believe this is Officer Remick’s second fatal shooting.

“What you will see in the video is a man who is cornered…. With lights trained on him as if we was some sort of animal who has been pushed into a corner,” says Lawyer Adanté Pointer. “And then you see multiple officers yelling commands. From different angles. Expecting him, who is now backed up against the fence, alone, in a mental health crisis…. Pointing weapons at him. Supposed to be the one to maintain his cool. And negotiate his life.”

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Pointer claims that Richmond police were well aware of Mendez-Rio’s documented mental health challenges. And by shooting him, the officers ignored their training and violated the law.

The family says the COVID-19 pandemic worsened his mental health challenges. During that time, he lost his job, which added to the stress of taking care of three kids, a wife and mortgage. The say Mendez was on medication and in therapy.

Richmond police still haven’t met with them.

“It is just tragic. Over six officers from what I read- everyone is yelling at him. How do they expect someone who going through a mental health crisis to be able to listen to all that? It’s crazy. It’s like trying to play ‘Simon Says’ with six people yelling at you. You have to listen. If you do something wrong, then you’re out. It’s ridiculous,” says Imer.

The Richmond Police Department did not return request for comment.