San Bernardino officer fired after investigation into deadly officer involved shooting
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - A San Bernardino Police officer has been taken off the force after he fatally shot a man outside a home in 2018.
The police department has just released bodycam footage of the officer-involved shooting and concluded the officer’s actions “fell far short” of the department’s expectations and standards.
“Upon completion of our internal investigation and review process we’ve concluded that one of our officer’s decision making didn’t meet the standards held by our department or community we serve. As a result he no longer works for the San Bernardino Police Department,” said Eric McBride the Acting Chief of Police for the San Bernardino Police Department in a video the department posted online.
The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office is now reviewing the case and will determine if the officer’s actions were lawful.
The incident happened on September 28, 2018.
Officers say around 10:14 p.m. a woman called 911 saying the suspect, Richard John Sanchez, was intoxicated and threatening family members inside a home.
A few minutes later dispatch received another call from the woman saying Sanchez was armed with a gun and threatening family members in the kitchen of the home. According to police, the woman escaped from the home with children in fear of their safety.
“Family members and witnesses described Sanchez as intoxicated and making irrational statements such as he had everyone under control because he was God,” said Sgt. John Echevarria.
Richard Sanchez
Once officers arrived to the house they could hear people arguing and saw the front door open. They located Sanchez standing inside the house with a gun in his right hand and his back faced to the door. The police department says a woman was standing just a few feet away from Sanchez.
With guns drawn officers yelled commands for Sanchez to drop his gun but officers say he didn’t immediately obey them.
“For a brief moment officers lost sight of the gun as Sanchez spun around and transitioned the gun from his right hand to his left hand. The officers ordered him to drop the gun three more times before he finally set it down on the arm of a couch,” stated Sgt. Echevarria.
Echevarria then says Sanchez advanced towards the officers taking eight steps and coming onto the front porch of the house.
Bodycam footage shows officers ordering him to put his hands up as Sanchez continues to walk out the door. Echevarria says Sanchez obeyed and raised his hands but continued approaching officers. At that moment Officer Brandon Gaddie opened fire, hitting Sanchez five times.
Sanchez died from his injuries.
According to Sgt. Echevarria both responding police officers had their body worn cameras on before, during and after the shooting.
“Whenever deadly force is used, it is traumatic not only for the police officers and family of those involved, but for the community as a whole,” the department stated.
During their investigation Officer Gaddie was removed from the police force, the other officer has returned to his full duty.
The police department says Sanchez had a felony no bail warrant for his arrest. A few months earlier Sanchez made terrorist threats during a domestic dispute during which he was armed with a handgun, said Sgt. Echevarria.