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Family Of Man Shot With Hands In Air Praises Police Investigation Into Officer's Actions
A still from a video released by the San Bernardino Police Department shows the moments before a now-former officer fatally shot Richard Sanchez in September 2018. (Courtesy of the San Bernardino Police Dept.)
Body camera video released Friday by the San Bernardino Police Department shows one of its officers fatally shooting an unarmed man holding his hands in the air.
The shooting of Richard John Sanchez on September 28, 2018, occurred after a member of his family called 911 to report Sanchez had threatened family members with a gun.
An undated photo of Sanchez was included in the video released about his fatal shooting (Courtest of the San Bernardino Police Dept.)
According to police, the caller also told the 911 operator that Sanchez was intoxicated and making irrational statements such as he had everyone under his control because he was God.
Authorities also said Sanchez had a felony arrest warrant that responding officers knew about at the time of the incident.
The video, released late on a Friday more than a year after the fatal shooting, shows officers outside the front door repeatedly ordering Sanchez to drop the gun as he stands just inside the home. Sanchez places the gun on a couch and walks out the door, according to the police account of the incident.
Police officers then repeatedly order Sanchez to raise his hands. He raises his hands and keeps walking toward them. Sanchez appears to be just a few feet away from the officers when one officer fires five times.
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The officer no longer works for the department, according to police. It's unclear whether he resigned or was fired.
"Upon completion of our internal investigation and review process, we've concluded that one of our officer's decision-making did not meet the standards held by our department or the community we serve," said Acting Chief Eric McBride. "As a result, he no longer works for the San Bernardino Police Department."
McBride gives the officer's last name in the video, but his department did not immediately provide a first name or a spelling. He emphasized that the internal review did not determine whether the now former officer's actions were criminal.
The San Bernardino District Attorney is investigating the incident and will decide whether to file criminal charges against the officer.
WARNING: The following video includes disturbing footage
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