VALLEJO, Calif. (KRON) – The deadly police shooting of Sean Monterrosa in Vallejo last June was “not reasonable,” according to a new independent report released by the city and police department.
The 22-year-old was shot while officers were responding to looting at a Walgreens store following the death of George Floyd.
Based on interviews with Vallejo police supervisors on duty the night Monterrosa was gunned down through a windshield by an officer in the back of an unmarked truck and interviews with the officers involved, the Independent Administrative Investigative Review into the shooting finds the use of force was not objectively reasonable.
It says the four officers who were on scene, tactically responded poorly and violated the police department’s de-escalation policies.
In light of those factors, the review says, “The chances of a non-threatening — or even capitulating — movement by Mr. Monterrosa being misperceived as a deadly threat were greatly increased.”
“It’s frustrating when you know the truth, and you have to continue to scream at the top of your lungs to be heard,” Ashley Monterrosa said.
Sean Monterrosa’s sisters consider the review a victory, pointing to its assertion that the officers involved misinterpreted Monterrosa’s actions that night as aggression, failed to turn their body cameras on in a timely manner, and that all of the officers mistakenly thought Monterrosa was armed with a gun.
Instead, it’s been determined he had a hammer.
“We know Sean. He was surrendering. He knew that when an encounter with law enforcement that, you know, he shouldn’t pose any threat to him,” Michelle Monterrosa said.
18-months ago, the report says officers responding to the looting call at Walgreens saw Monterrosa running towards a car that was leaving and eventually left without him and rammed into a patrol vehicle.
That’s when the officers say Monterrosa moved toward them and as he kneeled on the ground, appeared to draw a weapon.
The report now says it was the officers who closed the distance and misjudged Monterrosa as a threat.
“It would have been nice to hear the disciplinary actions that were going to be released with the report, but for our family, we’re still pushing for the firing, conviction and for the attorney general’s office to bring charges forward with this investigation being done,” Michelle said.
The attorney general’s investigation is still open.
The Monterrosa’s are also still pursuing a civil lawsuit in this case.