05 Feb State Investigating Richmond Police Shooting of Allegedly Unarmed Man

(Image courtesy of Richmond Police Department via Bay City News)

By Tony Hicks
Bay City News

The California Department of Justice is investigating the fatal shooting of an allegedly unarmed man in Richmond on Tuesday night.

Less than 24 hours after the shooting, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the state Department of justice is investigating the killing pursuant to Assembly Bill 1506, which requires the state DOJ to investigate all officer-involved shootings resulting in the death of an unarmed civilian.

At 8:13 p.m. Tuesday, officers responded to the 2700 block of Maine Avenue, attempting to locate someone wanted on a probation violation warrant related to domestic violence charges, Richmond police said on social media.

Officers located the person on the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way just west of the 300 block of Carlson Boulevard.

Police said the suspect refused to cooperate with officers and a standoff ensued. Officers spent approximately 32 minutes attempting to deescalate the situation to reach a peaceful solution.

At approximately 8:53 p.m., police shot and killed the suspect.

When asked Wednesday morning if the suspect was armed, a Richmond police spokesperson said he hoped to have more information “later today or tomorrow.”

Richmond police didn’t immediately return a message Wednesday afternoon regarding the state DOJ’s investigation.

Police said following the shooting that the Contra Costa County’s Law Enforcement Involved Fatal Incidents Policy, a set of guidelines and procedures dealing with officer-involved fatalities, was invoked, and the Contra Costa County’s District Attorney’s Office responded to investigate.

More information on the California Department of Justice’s role and responsibilities under AB 1506 is available at https://oag.ca.gov/ois-incidents.

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