The family of a Southern California man who was shot dead by San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Deputies has filed a $30 million illegal death lawsuit against the department.
On December 16, 2024, a metro worker called authorities after seeing him trespass on the Metrolink rail between Nevada and California Avenues in the Redlands around 7:30am
Authorities arrived at the scene and saw Jeffte Vargas Ramirez, 37, of Redlands, walking on the train.
When the male aide asked Ramirez to leave the area, they said he refused to cooperate and became conflicted, armed with rocks with both hands.
As Ramirez walked towards the lieutenant, authorities alleged that he approached in an aggressive way, prompting the lieutenant to fire.
Efts Vargas Ramirez, 37, of Redlands, can be seen in photos provided by the family. A video of Serphon captured by an eyewitness shows him reaching his arms with his approach to his lieutenant while standing on the streets of the Redlands railway on December 16, 2024. The aide began shooting him dead on the Redlands railway tracks on December 16, 2024. (Dale Gallipo) at a press conference on April 3, 2025, attorney Dale Gallipo puts the position of Jeffte Ramirez’s extended arm when he was fatally shot. (KTLA) Investigations are underway after Jefte Ramirez was shot dead by a lieutenant of AA San Bernardino County Sheriff on December 16, 2024 on the Redlands railway tracks. 2024. (onscene.tv) Jefte Vargas Ramirez, 37, of Redlands, can be seen in photos provided by the family. An investigation is underway after Redlands (KTLA) Jeff Terra Mirez, who announces plans to file a $30 million wrongful death lawsuit on April 3, 2025, was shot and killed.
But Dale Gallipo, a lawyer representing Ramirez’s family, said the encounter was videotaped by witnesses who showed something very different.
In the video, following the verbal exchange, Ramirez begins walking towards his lieutenant with his arms stretched to the side.
“He’s starting to walk towards his lieutenant,” Gallipo said at a press conference Thursday. “The lieutenant begins firing. It’s almost unbelievable to watch.”
At least nine gunshots are heard when the Vice President at Ramirez fires. Gallipo claims that even if Ramirez turned his back on him, the aide continued shooting. He was taken to hospital and later died.
As the incident is under investigation, Gallipo said Ramirez’s actions did not justify the fatal force, based on footage of the fatal encounter.
“They’re like very small rocks, pebbles, but I couldn’t see the rocks,” Gallipo said. “You can’t shoot anyone because you think they’re not following your orders or they’re resistant or even aggressive. It needs to be life-threatening right away.”
Ramirez works as a mechanic and his brother, Tony Vargas, said that on the day he was killed he enjoyed his days off from work and often went for morning walks in the area as he lived nearby.
“I can’t sleep,” Vargas said after his brother’s death. “It’s still hard to talk about that. It hurts.”
Ramirez’s family said they are planning to file a lawsuit against the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office and are seeking $30 million in damages. They want justice for his death and believe that the deputy needs to be accountable for his actions.
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“We demand justice,” the family said in a statement. “We must pass this, not only us, but other families, so that fathers have to bury their children, so that other families have to pass this, so that no children are growing up without their fathers.
“Why are we continuing to shoot so many times?” Gallipo said. “The main reason is that there are really no negative consequences that come with the executives involved.”
Ramirez is survived by two daughters, his parents and a sibling.
No deputies involved have been identified and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment on the aggressive investigation.
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