Robert Allan Cortes

How they died

Deadly force

Police responded to a call from Cortes' longtime girlfriend, Lisette Galarza. Cortes emerged from the single-wide mobile home carrying a .45-caliber handgun, which he placed on the ground near the door. Officers claim that he failed to obey officers' commands and "turned suddenly and reached out his hand toward where the gun had dropped," prompting the officers to fire multiple shots, including 6 times in the back. The girlfriend disputes these claims, asserting that Cortes was moving to get on the ground as ordered, and the family says he couldn't have made sudden moves, as he had back and neck problems.

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Robert Allan Cortes, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources