"When officers got there, they found Michael MacFhionghain, 57, on top of Rafael Mendoza, wielding a knife, and they repeatedly told MacFhionghain to drop the weapon, investigators wrote. When he didn't follow the orders and moved the knife toward Mendoza, four officers opened fire. One bullet struck Mendoza, who was unarmed, and both men were killed."
"Investigators concluded there's not enough evidence to prove the officers committed a crime. According to the report, the officers likely believed they needed to shoot to save Mendoza's life: 'A prosecution, therefore, could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers' use of force was unlawful.'"
"Under state law, the DOJ is required to investigate anytime a police officer kills an unarmed citizen in California. California is currently investigating around 50 of these cases, dating back to 2022, including five in the Bay Area."
California's Department of Justice announced it will not pursue criminal charges against San Francisco police officers involved in a 2022 shooting that killed two men. Officers responded to a call where Michael MacFhionghain, 57, was on top of Rafael Mendoza wielding a knife. Despite repeated orders to drop the weapon, MacFhionghain moved the knife toward Mendoza, prompting four officers to open fire. MacFhionghain sustained nine gunshot wounds and Mendoza, who was unarmed, was shot once in the chest. Both died. Investigators concluded insufficient evidence existed to prove the officers committed a crime, determining they likely believed shooting was necessary to save Mendoza's life. The report recommends additional training for officer communication at scenes. California investigates approximately 50 cases of police-involved deaths of unarmed citizens dating to 2022.
#police-use-of-force #criminal-investigation #california-department-of-justice #officer-involved-shooting #law-enforcement-accountability
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