VALLEJO, Calif. (KRON) — Tonight we are hearing from the family of the man shot by Vallejo police officers earlier this week while kneeling on the ground with his hands above his waist.

The Vallejo police chief says his officer thought 22-year-old Sean Monterrosa had a gun, but later discovered he had a hammer in his sweatshirt pocket.

Sean Monterrosa’s sisters — Michelle and Ashley — say Vallejo police officers still have not told their family that their brother was shot and killed.

They say they are angry and disgusted.

“The thing that hurts the most is just to know this cop shot him from a vehicle,” she said. “How do you feel threatened? you’re the one with a gun. you’re in a car behind a windshield.”

Michelle and Ashley Monterrosa say their brother was a provider, hard working and an active community member.

“He was very humble, smart, sweet and it’s just very tragic that his soul has been stolen from us,” she said.

Vallejo police officers responded to a Walgreens parking lot after receiving calls for a possible looting taking place at the pharmacy early Tuesday morning.

When they arrived — two cars took off, one of the vehicles striking a police cruiser.

But 22-year-old Sean Monterrosa was not in one of those cars. But instead, police say he was kneeling on the pavement.

Police Chief Shawny Williams told reporters an 18-year-veteran officer shot Monterrosa while sitting in his police cruiser — firing his weapon through the windshield — killing Monterrosa, who he thought had a gun.

But the officer — who the chief has not yet identified — was wrong. Monterrosa did not have a gun, but a hammer tucked inside his pocket.

“He knew what to do, get on your knees, put your hands up where they can be seen so nothing bad would happen but it happened anyway,” John Burris, the family’s attorney said.

The officer who shot him is now on paid administrative leave.

The family has raised close to $100 thousand to go toward funeral costs, legal fees and the movement now underway for justice.

“They stole a beautiful soul that was going to do so much change in this world,” his sisters said.

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