While a probationary officer in the Rampart CRASH unit, Widman was involved in a shooting and coverup where he allegedly mistook a hand mirror for a weapon and ketchup on a wall for blood, leading him to shoot an unarmed man, Jose Vega.
According to Rampart CRASH officer Rafael Perez, Widman’s superiors and fellow officers concocted a story to justify the shooting and protect Widman’s job. They reportedly claimed Widman saw a “muzzle flash,” which was actually a reflection, and misinterpreted sounds as gunfire. Witnesses and neighbors contradicted parts of the officers’ account, but the LAPD initially ruled the shooting was within policy.
Later, a lawsuit by the Vegas family led to a $425,000 settlement.
LA Times March 24, 2002; October 7, 2002
