In the early hours of a February night in 2025, 21-year-old Seijah Rivera was shot and killed by officers with the California Highway Patrol (CHP) in Winnetka, California, at the end of a high-speed pursuit. The chase came to a sudden and deadly stop on Sunnybrae Avenue, a quiet residential cul-de-sac. Surveillance footage from a neighbor’s security camera captured the chilling sounds and flashes of multiple gunshots. Moments later, Seijah was pronounced dead at the scene.
What led to this deadly use of force? And why are so many questions left unanswered?
According to Seijah’s family, he had just finished visiting his cousins in the San Fernando Valley and was driving his father’s work truck back home. They believe he was only blocks away from making it inside safely. His grandmother says Seijah’s phone showed that he had arrived at his residence. Just minutes later, the family says they heard gunfire ring out near their home.
Authorities have claimed Seijah was armed during the encounter, but his family strongly disputes that narrative.
“There are a lot of inconsistencies in the reports from the news outlets,” Seijah’s older brother told Mr. Checkpoint. “They’ve said my brother exited the vehicle holding a gun—but two witnesses from the neighborhood told us they saw him get out with nothing in his hands.”
The case becomes even more confusing when considering the location of the alleged weapon. According to Fox 11, the firearm that CHP claims Seijah had wasn’t found near his body, nor in the truck. Instead, it was located in a nearby parking lot, on the other side of a wall from the cul-de-sac where the shooting occurred. The family is left wondering: How could a gun end up in a completely different location—separated by a physical barrier—if Seijah had it when he exited the vehicle?
This isn’t just about one confusing detail. It’s about a pattern—a pattern where police agencies withhold evidence, delay transparency, and leave families grasping for the truth. To date, no body cam or dash cam footage from the incident has been released. The family says they’ve been bounced around by agencies. CHP tells them LAPD is handling the investigation. LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division confirms it is assisting, but then directs inquiries back to CHP.
“It’s like they’re just giving us the runaround,” Seijah’s brother added. “No one wants to take responsibility.”
The lack of communication and conflicting information has only deepened the family’s grief. For them, Seijah wasn’t just a name on the news—he was a real person. A son. A brother. A young man with his whole life ahead of him. His family insists he was not violent and had no criminal history to support the aggressive police response.
Unfortunately, this tragedy is not an isolated incident. We’ve seen this before. Families left in limbo. Evidence hidden or selectively released. Public statements that don’t match witness accounts. Communities demanding answers and being met with silence. The public has every right to know what really happened to Seijah Rivera, especially when state power is used to take a life.
At staging.mrcheckpoint.com/, we stand with the Rivera family in their pursuit of truth, transparency, and accountability. We are calling on officials to release the full Seijah Rivera body cam footage, any dash cam recordings, and provide a detailed timeline of what occurred that night.
This isn’t just about one family’s tragedy—it’s about systemic issues in how police violence is handled, reported, and investigated in California and across the country. When public trust erodes, it’s the responsibility of law enforcement agencies to restore it—not avoid it.
If you or someone you know was near Sunnybrae Ave in Winnetka that night, or has additional footage, please consider submitting it. Eyewitness evidence and community documentation have been crucial in countless other cases where justice was delayed or denied.
Transparency should never be optional—especially when a young life is cut short.
GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/honoring-seijah-support-his-final-farewell
