Police release videos of California shooting

Police Chief Shawny Williams said one of his officers in Vallejo, Calif., mistakenly thought a 22-year-old African American man was reaching for a gun when the officer shot him. The city’s police department on Wednesday released body camera footage, security camera footage, and 911 audio of the June 2 incident that left Sean Monterrosa dead.

What happened? Officers responded to a 911 call at a Walgreens store following a day of peaceful protests and evening lootings in Vallejo. When they arrived, one of the officers said over the radio that Monterrosa could be armed. Two vehicles tried to flee the scene but one rammed into a police car. Monterrosa was kneeling when another officer in a vehicle mistook a hammer in Monterrosa’s belt for a gun and fired a shot through the windshield striking him. Monterrosa was pronounced dead at a hospital. The department has not identified the officer who fired the shot that killed Monterrosa but has requested an independent investigation.

Dig deeper: Read Sophia Lee’s report about why police reform efforts are faltering on Capitol Hill.