Rob Adams: $4M settlement announced in San Bernardino police shooting of Black man
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - Civil rights attorney Ben Crump and co-counsel Bradley Gage announced a $4 million settlement Friday on behalf of the family of Rob Adams, a 23-year-old Black man fatally shot by a San Bernardino police officer on July 16, 2022.
The coroner's report revealed Adams was shot six times in the parking lot of a medical center in San Bernardino after being approached by two police officers. Officials said he was immediately chased to the corner of the building where multiple shots were fired, with one bullet entering his back. Adams was later transported to a local hospital where he died shortly after.
The settlement comes after a series of contentious debates and investigations surrounding the circumstances of Adams' death. Advocates, including Adams' family and attorney Ben Crump, have questioned the police narrative, contending there was no justification for the use of lethal force.
According to the San Bernardino Police Department, undercover officers responded to reports of a man with a gun in the parking lot. Security footage captures the moment when Adams fled upon the arrival of an unmarked car. Police maintain they believed Adams intended to use the vehicle as cover to shoot at them.
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However, Adams' family disputes this narrative, asserting he did not possess a firearm and was holding his cell phone at the time of the incident.
"They had a report of a Black man with a gun. That’s all they knew," Gage said about the officers' actions in a statement to The Sun. "They had no knowledge of who the Black man was, and they didn’t have knowledge of any convictions at all. Instead, they shot down Rob Adams in what has been described as hunting and killing rather than protecting and serving."
"This is a classic example of shoot first and ask questions later," Crump, known for representing high-profile cases involving police killings of Black men, stated in previous remarks.
Rob Adams
Crump has been vocal in his criticism of the shooting death of Adams.
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"It's the most cowardly type of murder to shoot a person in the back multiple times," Crump stated in previous remarks.
Questions of racial bias and excessive use of force have surfaced in the aftermath of the incident, prompting calls for transparency and accountability from law enforcement.
The $4 million settlement represents a significant development in the ongoing conversation surrounding police violence and accountability. However, for Adams' family and advocates, it serves as a reminder of the need for systemic change in policing practices.
The San Bernardino Police Department has yet to issue a public statement regarding the settlement.