US man drops gun, raises hands; cops shoot him anyway
Richard Sanchez (27) was involved in a drunken altercation with family members in San Bernardino, California, United States, when his sister-in-law called 911. Moments later, two cops of the San Bernardino Police Department showed up at their home and fatally shot Sanchez. Bodycam footage now released by SBPD shows that Sanchez was shot five times after dropping his handgun and putting his hands up.
Sanchez's sister-in-law called cops after he drunkenly threatened family
Recently, Interim San Bernardino Police Chief Eric McBride released details of the incident. On September 28, 2018, Sanchez's sister-in-law had called 911 after he drunkenly threatened them with a handgun and made odd statements like he was God. She stepped out of the house with the children as two police officers arrived at the scene.
Officer Brandon Gaddie shot Sanchez five times
When the officers arrived, Sanchez was still holding the gun. Although he did not immediately drop the weapon on the police's command, he eventually set it on the couch and put his hands up. Sanchez then proceeded to advance towards the cops and was ordered to stop. As he continued to approach the cops, Officer Brandon Gaddie shot him five times.
Sanchez died from his wounds at a hospital
The San Bernardino Police also released the bodycam footage of the incident which shows Officer Gaddie shooting at an unarmed Sanchez. The video ends with Sanchez falling to the ground and a woman's scream is heard in the background. He later died at the hospital.
Officer no longer in police force; disciplinary action initiated
A year after the incident, McBride said on Friday that Officer Gaddie no longer works with the police force while his partner has since returned to duty. He didn't clarify if the officer was fired or if he had resigned. He said that "disciplinary action has been initiated." An internal review of the incident concluded that the officer's decision-making failed to meet standards.
District attorney's office to determine if shooting was lawful: McBride
Further, McBride said, "This case is currently under review by the district attorney's office. It will ultimately determine if the shooting was lawful." He said that officers are required to "respond to fast-moving and often dangerous situations every day," adding that "each encounter is unique and requires officers to make split-second decisions without the benefit of 20-20 hindsight."
Sanchez's family feels 'honored and encouraged' by police department's actions
Separately, in a statement, Sanchez's family attorney, Brian Dunn, noted, "Richard's sudden passing has left a void that cannot be filled in the lives of his family members." The family, however, feels "honored and encouraged" by the leadership of the San Bernardino Police Department accepting responsibility for the incident "even when this meant acknowledging the mistakes of a fellow officer."
