A Downey man was fatally stabbed outside the library in 2025; his family sued the city for $40M, citing unaddressed safety risks despite prior crimes and 675 calls.

The family of Reinaldo Lefonts, a 68-year-old Downey man fatally stabbed outside the city library on Sept. 13, 2025, has filed a $40 million wrongful death claim against the city, alleging it failed to address known safety risks despite prior crimes and 675 calls for service. Lefonts, a retired UCI Medical Center lab worker involved in pandemic vaccine efforts, was attacked by Giovanni Navarro, a homeless man with 28 prior convictions, who had been arrested for trespassing just hours before. Paramedics were delayed when another homeless man stole their vehicle due to a missing anti-theft system. The city had discussed safety concerns in a recent meeting and was aware of a 2015 fatal shooting at the same site. Navarro faces murder charges with a weapon enhancement and is scheduled for a pretrial hearing in April 2026. City officials did not respond to requests for comment.