What was supposed to be a downtown celebration after the Dodgers’ 2020 World Series win has turned into a years-long legal fight for one Los Angeles gamer.
Isaac Castellanos, a Los Angeles man who says he lost most of the sight in his right eye after being hit by a police-fired "less-lethal" projectile, has sued the City of Los Angeles. The lawsuit says the injury happened during post-World Series celebrations in downtown L.A. in 2020 and has put the competitive gamer’s career on hold. Filed in 2022, the case is currently scheduled for trial in April 2026.
According to the complaint and subsequent interviews, Castellanos was celebrating near what is now Crypto.com Arena when a round struck him in the center of his right eye, and he was taken to a Long Beach hospital, CBS News Los Angeles reported. The suit alleges officers fired projectiles into crowds "indiscriminately, and without warning," and that Castellanos’ vision loss, which he describes as a blacked-out center, has caused anxiety and interfered with work and school. CBS News Los Angeles also noted that his attorney says the litigation is meant, in part, to force changes inside the department.
Court records show the complaint was filed on Feb. 21, 2022, in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and includes federal civil-rights claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Justia lists the City of Los Angeles and LAPD Chief Michel Moore as defendants and identifies Castellanos’ legal team. The attorneys representing Castellanos include partners at Wisner Baum, a firm that has handled high-profile trial work in consumer and civil-rights matters; the firm lists Pedram Esfandiary and Monique Alarcon on its trial team.
A recent report says the case is set for trial on April 7, 2026, and names LAPD officers Jesse Pineda and Cody MacArthur as individual defendants. National Today also noted that the complaint seeks damages that include compensation for Castellanos’ lost potential earnings as an esports competitor.
Broader scrutiny of less-lethal tools
The lawsuit lands as the LAPD’s use of so-called less-lethal munitions faces renewed heat in court and in the court of public opinion. A federal judge recently barred the department from using certain 40-millimeter foam rounds for crowd control after finding instances of improper use and resulting injuries, a ruling that has forced officials to re-examine how they police large gatherings. ABC7 covered the order and its implications for future protests and crowd-control tactics.
What’s at stake in court
Legally, the complaint brings federal civil-rights claims alongside state tort claims and demands a jury trial. If jurors find the use of force unreasonable, potential damages could include medical expenses, lost earnings, and compensation for pain and suffering. Justia confirms the federal-law basis of the suit, and plaintiff attorneys say any verdict or settlement could pressure the city to tighten training and limits on crowd-control munitions. The city has faced a wave of past litigation tied to projectile use at public events and protests, and reform advocates argue that results in cases like this one can influence policy across the department.
“This is just another example of how inadequate the training is and how much of a hard look the LAPD needs to take as to its policies,” Wisner Baum partner Monique Alarcon told the Los Angeles Times. Castellanos has said the center of his right eye is “completely black,” a condition he says has altered daily life and ended his competitive gaming hopes while the case moves toward trial.
