Body cam video released of armed man getting shot, killed by San Bernardino cop
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - Police in San Bernardino released body camera footage of a July 16 incident that killed a young man and sparked calls for justice from attorney Ben Crump.
The San Bernardino Police Department responded to a call from the parking lot of an illegal online gambling business in the 400 block of West Highland Street on Saturday, July 16, around 8 p.m. Upon arrival, police found two male suspects. One of the suspects, later identified as 23-year-old Rob Adams, pulled a gun out and began walking toward an officers' unmarked vehicle.
San Bernardino PD said in press release Monday that the officers gave Adams verbal commands, but Adams turned around and ran away, while carrying the gun. One of the officers shot Adams, hitting and killing him.
The second suspect was taken into custody, San Bernardino PD said. The gun Adams was holding was recovered from the scene.
BODY CAMERA VIDEO
On Tuesday, the San Bernardino Police Department released surveillance videos and body camera footage of the incident. In the video, Adams is seen pulling a gun out of his waistband and beginning to walk toward the officers' unmarked car. Once Adams realized it was the cops who got out of the unmarked car, the 23-year-old turned around and tried to run toward two parked cars.
In the video, San Bernardino Police Chief Darren Goodman explained Adams had no outlet when he hid between the parked cars, the officers at the scene believed Adams was going to use the vehicles as a possible shield and shoot at them.
"The officer saw Adams look over his left shoulder with the gun still in his right hand. Fearing the bystanders or the officer's lives were in danger, one of the officers fired his gun, striking Adams," Goodman explained in a video.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced he has been retained by Adams' family. Hours before San Bernardino PD released body camera videos, Crump issued the following statement in response to Adams' death:
"It is unbelievable that another Black family has to bury their child due to police shooting first and asking questions later. Robert appeared to be simply walking around the parking lot when officers exited their unmarked vehicle firing their weapons at him immediately. Robert never even had a chance to explain himself. We demand the San Bernardino Police Department to release all available information and body camera footage from this incident to the family and public so the family can get answers as to what happened to their loved one in his final moments."
Crump says Adam's family and the community is demanding answers into his death. During a press conference Wednesday, Crump said the officers exited from an unmarked car.. giving no indication they were police. Crump also said Adams was shot seven time sin the back.
"How can you explain that San Bernardino, you just start shooting. "I mean you see him running away and they keep shooting, why would you do that," he stated.
Adams' family claim he didn't own a gun and question the police's claim they recovered a black 9mm at the scene. The family claims he was holding a cellphone.
"I was on the phone and all I heard after that was gunshots, and he never told me goodbye," said Adams' mom Tamika Deavila King.
"My son Rob wasn't a gang member, he was a good kid. To see my son get shot multiple times in the back, what father would want to see their kid killed on a video," said his father Robert Adams.