SHOTS FIRED

LAPD Academy Gun Store Accused of Negligence in Stolen Firearms Scandal

Store manager Archi Duenas was arrested and convicted last year for the theft of dozens of weapons.

Amid an ongoing scandal involving Los Angeles Police Department officers acquiring stolen firearms and weapons, the city of Los Angeles has accused the operator of a gun store located within the L.A. Police Academy of breach of contract and negligence in its operations.

Last year, store manager Archi Duenas was arrested and convicted for the theft of dozens of weapons from the store, the Los Angeles Police Revolver and Athletic Club. Since then, an investigation revealed which LAPD officers purchased stolen weapons from Duenas. Officers have already filed lawsuits, claiming their reputations have suffered as a result of the negligence of the gun store, city, and LAPD. Last week in court, the LAPRAAC, a gun store and non-profit organization that the city has worked with for more than 85 years, was accused of sloppy management and poor record keeping, of failing to obtain proper insurance of store, and of negligence in its hiring and training of Duenas and four other employees.

“LAPRAAC knew or should have known that its employees and managers were unfit for the specific and mandatory tasks to be carried out and performed during the course and scope of their employment, such as adequately preparing and maintaining paperwork and records, conducting and periodically auditing its firearm inventory, and ensuring proper compliance with state and federal firearm dealer regulations, amongst other things, and that this unfitness created a particular risk to others,” lawyers for the city wrote in a filing.