The verdict marks a significant outcome for a man whose life trajectory was sharply altered by the incident. Just weeks before the Dodgers celebration, Castellanos, an aspiring professional esports player, had won first place in a tournament and secured a $40,000 prize with a teammate.
A federal jury has ordered Los Angeles to pay $11.8 million to Isaac Castellanos, who was permanently blinded in one eye by a police projectile while celebrating the Dodgers’ 2020 World Series championship. The jury returned the verdict Thursday after deliberating less than two hours in a federal lawsuit alleging excessive use of force.
Castellanos was a senior at California State University, Long Beach, when he was struck in the face during a peaceful downtown Los Angeles gathering on the early morning of October 28, 2020. According to his complaint, Los Angeles Police Department officers advanced toward the crowd and began firing less-lethal munitions—including rubber bullets and bean bags—without warning.
“He is incredibly relieved and feels very vindicated,” Castellanos’ attorney, Monique Alarcon, said. “He’s really hopeful that this will cause the LAPD to take a hard look at their crowd control practices.”
A Turning Point in His Life
The verdict carries weight given where Castellanos was headed at the time. Just weeks before the Dodgers celebration, Castellanos, an aspiring professional esports player, had won first place in a tournament and secured a $40,000 prize with a teammate. His future as a competitive player was in motion.
“He was at a pivotal point in his life,” Alarcon said. “This completely derailed him.”
Enforcement Restrictions Mount
The case reflects a broader pattern of litigation against the Los Angeles Police Department over its use of less-lethal munitions for crowd control. In June, after journalists were hit by projectiles during protests against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, a federal judge blocked Los Angeles police from using rubber bullets and other less-lethal munitions against reporters.
A federal judge in January also issued an injunction against the LAPD blocking the use of 40 mm launchers in any crowd control situation. California imposed restrictions on less-lethal munition use in 2021. Under state law, police cannot aim “indiscriminately” into a crowd or at the head, neck, or vital organs. They also cannot fire solely for a curfew violation, verbal threats toward officers, or a person’s failure to comply with directions given by law enforcement.
The Los Angeles City Attorney’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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