San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies concerned in a 2022 shootout alongside a California freeway that killed a teenage lady and her fugitive father won’t face any legal expenses, state Legal professional Basic Rob Bonta introduced Friday.
Bonta launched a report compiled by the California Division of Justice following an investigation that included interviews with officers, witnesses who had been driving alongside the street that day and relations who recalled that the person and his daughter had an in depth relationship. The lawyer common known as the incident a tragic state of affairs with a tragic end result.
“This report was fairly troublesome to publish, and I sincerely hope it offers the neighborhood with the solutions they’ve been ready for,” Bonta stated in a press release. “The California Division of Justice goals to associate with regulation enforcement to construct a simply and equitable authorized atmosphere, making certain that the rule of regulation is upheld, and justice is accessible to everybody.”
Video and audio launched by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Division confirmed Savannah Graziano, 15, was shot and killed as she approached deputies amid a hail of gunfire on Sept. 27, 2022. The video footage recorded by a sheriff’s helicopter and witness dashboard cameras was launched in 2024 in response to public data requests made by The Related Press and different media retailers.
Based on the Division of Justice assessment, 45-year-old Anthony Graziano drove off along with his daughter after he shot and killed Tracy Martinez — his 45-year-old estranged spouse — as she tried to flee from his pickup truck. Authorities stated the teenager was within the truck when her mom was shot, and an Amber Alert was issued.
San Bernardino County deputies noticed the truck the subsequent day, and a 41-mile (66-kilometer) pursuit ensued on Interstate 15. As Anthony Graziano was driving, authorities stated quite a few rounds had been fired at deputies from the rear and passenger-side home windows of the car. Audio from the deputies’ belt recorders included the sounds of rounds hitting their patrol autos. One deputy sustained gunshot wounds to his arm and to fingers on each of his arms.
Authorities stated pictures continued to be fired from Graziano’s truck after he drove off the freeway and up an embankment. About 65 spent casings and 4 firearms had been discovered within the truck. The investigation additionally decided that 21 deputies returned hearth.
The report states that the car got here to a cease and the teenager — carrying a tactical helmet and vest — acquired out of the entrance passenger door and initially crouched on the bottom. She then acquired up and moved towards a deputy as he known as out to her. She raised her proper hand, and that’s when different deputies opened hearth, in line with the report.
Anthony Graziano was discovered lifeless within the driver’s seat. Post-mortem outcomes confirmed he died from a gunshot wound to the top and likewise suffered gunshot wounds to his shoulder, decrease again and leg. A toxicology report confirmed he had methamphetamine and amphetamine in addition to morphine and hydrocodone in his blood and urine.
No medication or alcohol had been present in Savannah Graziano’s blood or urine. Her reason behind loss of life was listed as gunshot wounds.
Gunshot residue was current in samples taken from the arms of each the teenager and her father. The report notes that gunshot residue particles could be deposited by firing a firearm, being in proximity of a discharging firearm, or by dealing with a firearm or ammunition.
The report states “no conclusion” could be drawn from the residue testing as as to whether the teenager or her father fired a firearm. However in trying to recreate a number of capturing positions from contained in the truck given the situation of powder burns left by the muzzle of a rifle discovered within the car, investigators discovered that the motive force wouldn’t have been capable of shoot the rifle and nonetheless keep management of the gasoline and brake pedals.
Prosecutors famous within the report that proof recommended that deputies believed each Graziano and his daughter — who was skilled at dealing with firearms and had participated in firearms coaching drills along with her father — posed an imminent menace and that the necessity to use deadly pressure was affordable.
Relations informed authorities that Graziano had been dwelling in his truck and that his daughter would typically stick with him, sleeping within the truck subsequent to a park. They stated the teenager was upset about her dad and mom’ divorce.
The report additionally included suggestions associated to coaching and dash-mounted and body-worn digicam insurance policies. The lawyer common’s workplace stated the sheriff’s division had carried out the coaching suggestions following the incident.
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