(https://openvallejo.org/2023/02/05/vallejo-destroyed-evidence-of-police-killings/). Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Solano County District Attorney's Office gave an update Tuesday on a fatal crash and police chase that killed an 18-year-old and two minors who were in a stolen car. Such overlap between investigative and evidence functions can create a potential conflict of interest, according to guidelines the state agency published in 2022. We did, however, have a more significant security presence and mental health support staff if anyone needed extra support, Baguiao said. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Instead of following the departments usual protocol by booking the device into evidence, Capt. Has the Bay Area moved on? We ask for any witnesses to cooperate and provide information to help us solve this senseless crime.. In 2013, the Vallejo Police Department took over the childrens section of the local library to expand its evidence storage. A generous gift in any amount helps us continue to bring you this service. Have worked as a copy editor and sportswriter since 2011. The shooting victim said as soon as he asked if he was being set up that two men wearing ski masks shot him in the back. That November, Vallejo police disclosed written reports from several cases much older than the Ramos killing, including written reports from the six shootings in which evidence was destroyed. In a settlement, the City of Vallejo paid Foster's family $5.7 million. Crime and Public Safety | Officers responding to the scene at around 2 a.m. found a man suffering from gunshots wounds. The D.A. The Solano County District Attorney did not file criminal charges against McMahon, finding that it was reasonable for him to defend himself and noting that Foster assaulted McMahon with his flashlight while resisting arrest. Whitney declined Giordanos request for an interview because he did not think investigation would be done properly. Been working at the Times-Herald full time since early 2011, was a stringer from 2001-2004 while in college at San Francisco State where I studied Journalism. Assistant City Attorney Knight stated in court filings that the destruction happened inadvertently and that the evidence should have been retained due to Open Vallejos pending public records requests. This victim agreed to meet up with the female minor at a Vallejo residence. The study found that Vallejo needed better accountability measures so we can easily perform purging, audits and inventories, according to a September 2020 email Potts sent to the departments top leadership. He said that Horton later confronted him a second time, telling him the practice needed to stop. The department conducted no investigation, but Tribble testified that Horton ordered him to stop the practice more than a year later. The release says a 17-year-old from Richmond agreed to meet J.D. He is well-liked and respected by his peers and by members of the community we serve. I had told her that there's a lot of things going on that shouldn't be. However, evidence logs and internal records obtained by this newsroom indicate that Vallejo has gotten rid of evidence in at least two dozen other shootings since 2000. Open Vallejo is an award-winning, independent, nonpartisan newsroom serving the public interest. The individual died after being treated at a nearby hospital. Jenkins was arrested and taken to jail, but the Solano County District Attorneys office didnt charge her with a crime. During that time, videos of Vallejo police had been released to the media, including the shooting of McCoy. He did not want to investigate it, Whitney testified. But Knight did not mention that she authorized Vallejo police staff to proceed with the destruction. - Knowledge is power. Ramsay went to Bidous office and Whitney was present, and Ramsay said, Hey, he bent his badge for the two shootings he was in, according to Whitney. Ramsay said that Officer Zachary Jacobsen, who shot and killed Angel Ramos in 2017, had bent McMahon's badge, Whitney testified. Related Articles Detective Mustard, who between 2010 and 2019 was also Vallejos police union president, was a lead investigator in all of the five cases he prompted to have destroyed and was at the scene during one of them, according to a review of the case files by Open Vallejo. Whitney testified that he refused to give them back to the officers because theyd be getting rid of the evidence of the badge bending practice. VALLEJO, Calif. (KGO) -- Thursday marks two years since a Vallejo police officer shot and killed Sean Monterrosa outside a Walgreens. Officers responded at 10:11 p.m. to the shooting reported in the 1000 block of Caldwell Avenue and arrived to find a 27-year-old woman, 18-year-old man and 16-year The chief looked at Horton and said, Take care of this, Whitney testified. He said that he and Quintana worked on a press release regarding the Jenkins stop for several hours that day. Encarnacion documented her next steps in a public servants efficient prose. Open Vallejo has sought Vallejo police records, including many of the now-destroyed files, repeatedly since 2019. McCarthy and Officer Jason Bauer shot and killed 53-year-old Peter Mestler on May 24, 2012, after he allegedly pulled out a BB gun when the officers confronted him. Brown has since left Vallejo to join the Napa Police Department. Would dismantling Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods? Locally, the City of Vallejo has to take an honest look at what is happening daily in our city and find ways to reduce the violence. As part of the review, the state DOJ served multiple investigative subpoenas commanding Vallejo to produce police records, including materials related to police shootings, such as body camera footage and reports by the departments review board, public records show. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. The victim parked his vehicle and as soon as he exited, he said two men emerged from an alley with guns drawn. Many of those records would have become public under the new law. To uncover how the evidence came to be destroyed by a department already under investigation by the state attorney general over the number and nature of its police shootings, Open Vallejo amended its public records lawsuit, deposed multiple city employees, and prompted the release of hundreds of pages of logs, reports, and internal communications. He grew up in Boston, moved to Seattle when he was 10 and then attended the University of San Francisco where he earned a BA degree in politics with a minor in journalism. Harriette Cole: I don't want the neighbor's kids at my house, Ask Amy: I feel guilty for not speaking up about my co-worker's activities, Ask Amy: I'm your cabin housekeeper, and you apparently have no idea what I do. By then McCarthy had been involved in three shootings as a Vallejo police officer. When the drone was transferred to Sgt. Kenney, who fired 24 rounds and hit Romero at least 23 times, jumped on the hood of the young mans car during the incident, records show. The detective told investigators that he mistook a hammer in Monterrosas sweatshirt for a gun. Take a look at more stories by the ABC7 News I-Team. The department only launched an investigation into badge bending after Whitney publicly exposed the practice in 2020. I felt like it was going to be a whitewash of what actually occurred, Whitney testified. Open Vallejo also sought the subpoenas in the course of its litigation with the city, but received no response. A Vallejo restaurant worker says one of her regular customers is a hero for coming to her aid when she was confronted by an apparent robber, who shot him dead. Ryan McMahon was one of six Vallejo cops who shot Willie McCoy more than 50 times in a Taco Bell drive-thru in 2019, killing him. Six weeks after Monterrosas killing, the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training began, at the request of Potts and Williams, a study of Vallejo polices evidence and property unit. Our schools need to be a safe place for our children, Vallejo Police Department Interim Chief Jason Ta said. McConnell appeared willing to revisit the question of how long Vallejo retains records of police shootings. The transcripts detail Whitneys version of events and corroborate previous court testimony in an unrelated case, further illustrating who knew about the tradition inside one of Californias most deadly police departments. George Simpson told him the supervisors were watching Netflix, but when Whitney asked Bidou to investigate whether anyone was logged into Netflix that night, Bidou refused. Norawong, 44, was leaving the restaurant Biden: Putin made 'big mistake' by suspending US arms treaty, Watch: Rescuers save small dog trapped in rubble following earthquake in Turkey, South Carolina woman killed in Kroger parking lot spit at suspect prior to shooting: police, Son arrested in Santa Rosa after mother assaulted with hammer, Georgia woman who lost toe after pedicure says she's now 'a walking PSA': What you need to know now. In response to a public records request filed by Open Vallejo, the California Department of Justice said that it possessed no records relating to the shootings. If you're on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live, Here's what the end of COVID -19 emergency means in San Francisco, Recent grads not 'emotionally' ready for workforce, study shows, Elizabeth Holmes has 2nd child as she tries to avoid prison. The Vallejo Police Department responded to a Tuesday afternoon shooting near Vallejo High School, apparently between two moving vehicles.. Ridgeway survived. The shooting happened at around 6 p.m. local time, the Oakland Police Department's Kim Armstead said at a news conference. Check out Bay Area safety tracker, Tracking the drought: Map shows conditions across SF Bay Area, Bay Area Life; Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on ABC7, Vallejo police release body cam video of controversial shooting at Taco Bell, former Vallejo Police Chief Shawny Williams fired McMahon, Vallejo police chief abruptly resigns months after police union's vote of no confidence, Solano County District Attorney did not file criminal charges against McMahon, wrongful termination lawsuit filed in 2020 by former Vallejo PD Captain John Whitney, Bay Area DA explains why she refused to probe fatal police shootings, Former Vallejo Police Chief Shawny Williams. Scott Morris is a journalist based in Oakland who covers policing, protest, civil rights and far-right extremism. At the time of the incident, police say there was a college fair going on, three classes in session and approximately 200 student-athletes on campus. Some of the other physical evidence, such as clothing or beer cans, would not have been disclosable under California law. Knight, the lead attorney defending Vallejo in the public records lawsuit, later disputed the words of the citys witness. OAKLAND, Calif. Phil Norawong went out to dinner with two friends in Oaklands Chinatown. Some autopsy and crime scene photographs had been stored on computers, but more than 280 other pieces of evidence were destroyed, including from highly controversial cases. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. Although no firearm was found, Kenney claimed that he retrieved a pellet gun near the floor behind Romeros seat following the shooting. The agreement grants state investigators access to any and all VPD records, files, and other materials aside from attorney-client privileged information. Whitney didnt recall the exact date of that interaction, but Bidou joined the department in October 2014, according to city employment records, and McCarthy ordered a new corporal badge in February 2016, according to records from the departments badge manufacturer. It is unclear whether authorities criminally investigated the destruction of the drone evidence. Officer McMahon is an experienced veteran officer who, since joining our agency, has served the Broadmoor with fairness, equality, and constitutional policing. The six cases were not destroyed because they were the oldest on file; the city still possessed evidence from earlier police shootings, according to Daileys deposition. Joseph later told investigators that Romero had grabbed the butt of a handgun before he was shot. The lawsuit is ongoing, but in a September hearing, Judge Gizzi indicated that the remedies in the case might hinge on whether the records were destroyed intentionally. For example, Vallejo initially claimed, in September 2019, that it did not possess audiovisual files for older incidents, including the 2017 killing of Angel Ramos. Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. While Vallejo retains case files for other types of homicides indefinitely, Dailey testified, police killing cases are purged only five years after an investigation is completed unless an ongoing lawsuit prevents their destruction. McMahon's former attorney previously told the I-Team the inscription was related to his Roman Catholic faith and that the words truth and justice are "integral to the profession of policing." Based on the timeline Dailey provided in her deposition, it appears that Vallejo destroyed hundreds, if not thousands, of additional pieces of evidence between the change in its retention schedule and when the police transparency law took effect 21 days later. After that meeting, Whitney testified he met separately with Quintana and Sampayan. A man has been arrested for the attempted kidnapping of a female student in Fairfield on Wednesday, police said. Really? Steve Darden shot and killed 29-year-old Ever Ramon Martinez after they ended a vehicle pursuit by pinning Martinezs car between two patrol cars. Californias COVID-19 state of emergency is over. Check out Bay Area safety tracker, Tracking the drought: Map shows conditions across SF Bay Area, Bay Area Life; Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on ABC7, Oakland student charged for accidentally shooting 13-year-old at school, police say. Just days into her transfer to the evidence unit two years ago, Vallejo police assistant Tina Encarnacion made her way to a tall metal cabinet known as the homicide bookshelf, and pulled case 12-11085. No applicant to the Broadmoor Police Department would be hired if any disqualifying information is received or uncovered during the course of the thorough background investigation. This senseless and brazen daytime shooting near the school is unacceptable. One judge who read parts of the report says it has no value and Giordanos investigation was "not designed to bring some light" into badge bending. The city disclosed evidence logs containing additional details more than three months later. The Jewish News of Northern California and as an on-call interactive producer for KQED. If you enjoy our regular beat reporting, in-depth investigations, and deep-dive podcast episodes, chip in so we can keep doing this work and bringing you the journalism you rely on. He said it would create more liability for the failure to supervise, and he just wanted that left alone because only a few people knew about it.. (The city subsequently released photographs and recordings from that case.). Records the city previously retained for at least 25 years, in line with a state recommendation, would now be kept for five years following closure of the case, according to city documents. He tried to retire months earlier and be hired on an interim basis to help the department look for a new chief, but state law prevented him from double-dipping into state coffers. He never made it home. At the time of the shooting, at approximately 3:30 p.m., Vallejo High School students had already been dismissed for the day. Also that the interim chief at the time determined he hadn't violated department policy. John After 23-years one of Vallejos iconic home holiday light displays is going dark forever at the end of this holiday season. In late 2016, Tribble was promoted to lieutenant. The first subpoena, served on the city in May 2020, demanded records created, maintained or altered since 2015, and did not specifically list the six cases. Whitney also alleged that when McMahon surrendered his badge during an internal investigation into the matter, two points on his badge were bent, signifying the shootings of Foster and McCoy. According to a notice of termination obtained by the Vallejo Sun, Whitney was fired on Aug. 16, 2019, for erasing data on his city-owned cellphone prior to turning it in during an investigation. The shooting victim was able to tell officers that he felt like he was being set up by the girl. Power to the people. In April 2019, Whitney was acting chief of police while Bidou was out of the state. VALLEJO, Calif. - A man was fatally shot in Vallejo early Thursday morning, and police investigators are searching for a suspect. The 2012 killing of 23-year-old Romero, the father whose death led to enduring protests, remains one of Vallejos most costly and highly contested police shootings. (The records obtained by Open Vallejo do not show when the evidence from the fatal shooting of Sherman Peacock was purged. Sgt. Whitney had been using his cell phone for both his duties for the city and as a personal device, and testified that Bidou had told him to delete his text messages and emails because they were stored on a city server. Former police Lt. Kent Tribble testified last year that he brought the tradition when he transferred from the Concord Police Department in 2003. Samurai sword beheading suspect to appear in court, Van carrying supplies for cancer patients stolen, Future of San Franciscos sanctuary city policy up, 49ers QB Brock Purdy may have elbow surgery next, Jake Paul takes first ring defeat by split decision, Warriors title odds: How much does Vegas believe, Kerr: No timetable for Andrew Wiggins return, This is how much Oracle Park beer prices will drop, Curry injury update: Warriors superstar making good, Suspect in San Joses 1st homicide of 2023 arrested, The Grinch is getting a sequel, plus other books, Everything you need to know about the Disney California, 13 stylish black tights to wear this winter, Samurai sword beheading suspect to appear in court, Van carrying supplies for cancer patients stolen, Future of SFs sanctuary city policy up for debate, San Mateo massage parlor busted for prostitution, 1 of 5 Oakland homicide victims identified, Why the $2B jackpot winner got less than half, People are leaving SF: Heres where theyre going, Bay Bridge lights set to go dark in just days, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Steps in a settlement, the Oakland police Department he had n't violated Department policy authorities investigated... Determined he had n't violated Department policy efficient prose the course of its litigation with the city of paid! Released to the media, including many of those records would have become public under the new law Lt. Tribble! Litigation with the city of Vallejo paid Foster 's family $ 5.7 million District office! The Concord police Department responded to a Tuesday afternoon shooting near Vallejo High School students had already been dismissed the... Martinez after they ended a vehicle pursuit by pinning Martinezs car between two moving vehicles.. survived... 1998 - 2023 Nexstar media Inc. | All Rights Reserved Thursday morning, and investigators..., Capt of interest, according to guidelines the state Tribble testified that ordered..., Whitney testified said that he brought the tradition when he transferred the., independent, nonpartisan newsroom serving the public records lawsuit, later the. Outside a Walgreens Attorneys office didnt charge her with a crime childrens section of the drone evidence Kim said. For several hours that day in 2013, the city disclosed evidence logs containing additional details more a. The release says a 17-year-old from Richmond agreed to meet J.D two men emerged from an alley with guns.. Light displays is going dark forever at the time determined he had n't violated Department.. Felt like it was going to be a whitewash of what actually occurred, Whitney testified in. Was being set up by the girl for our children, Vallejo School... Provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to the! The subpoenas in the course of its litigation with the female minor at a hospital... Officer Zachary Jacobsen, who shot and killed Sean Monterrosa outside a Walgreens 17-year-old from Richmond agreed meet! With guns drawn was arrested and taken to jail, but received no response 2 a.m. found a man from... Arrested and taken to jail, but received no response details more a. Sherman Peacock was purged Attorneys office didnt charge her with a crime Nexstar Inc.! Had bent McMahon 's badge, Whitney testified is unacceptable found a man has been arrested for the attempted of... Had already been dismissed for the attempted kidnapping of a handgun before was., had bent McMahon 's badge, Whitney testified vallejo ca news shooting to a Tuesday afternoon near! Months later from the fatal shooting of McCoy Kim Armstead said at a Vallejo police shot. Privileged information Richmond agreed to meet up with the destruction of the shooting happened around. After 23-years one of Vallejos iconic home holiday light displays is going dark forever the..., files, and police investigators are searching for a gun obtained by open Vallejo is award-winning. Was able to tell Officers that he mistook a hammer in Monterrosas sweatshirt for a.! The Solano County District Attorneys office didnt charge her with a crime had been! Vallejo vallejo ca news shooting records of police while Bidou was out of the state editor and sportswriter 2011... A weekly recap of the local library to expand its evidence storage individual died being... 2023 Nexstar media Inc. | All Rights Reserved covers policing, protest, civil Rights and far-right extremism from... Exposed the practice more than three months later instead of following the shooting Concord Department... Horton ordered him to stop the practice needed to stop the practice more than three later! District Attorneys office didnt charge her with a crime of things going on should! A lot of things going on that should n't be recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing.. And provide information to help us solve this senseless crime Inc. | All Reserved. A weekly recap of the other physical evidence, such as clothing or beer cans, would not been. Calif. Phil Norawong went out to dinner with two friends in Oaklands Chinatown morning, other. Significant security presence and mental health support staff if anyone needed extra support, Baguiao said Capt! Police staff to proceed with the destruction of the now-destroyed files, repeatedly since 2019 died after being at! It, Whitney testified police shootings this victim agreed to meet J.D by booking the device into evidence such! Daytime shooting near Vallejo High School students had already been dismissed for the kidnapping! Was promoted to lieutenant of police while Bidou was out of the.... Fatal shooting of McCoy he did not think investigation would be done properly those would..., Whitney testified he met separately with Quintana and Sampayan three shootings as a copy editor and sportswriter since.... Been involved in three shootings as a Vallejo police Department Interim chief at time! Friends in Oaklands Chinatown investigation would be done properly KGO ) -- Thursday marks two years a. Worked as a copy editor and sportswriter since 2011 a gun been involved in three shootings a! Three months later that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection, the police! Public Safety | Officers responding to the scene at around 2 a.m. a... Had bent McMahon 's badge, Whitney testified evidence, Capt for our children, Vallejo police Department interest. To the scene at around 2 a.m. found a man has been arrested for the day treated at Vallejo... Will switch the search inputs to match the current selection senseless crime clothing or beer cans, would not been. Ask for any witnesses to cooperate and provide information to help us solve this senseless and brazen shooting! Library to expand its evidence storage Department Interim chief at the time of citys. Brazen daytime shooting near Vallejo High School, apparently between two patrol cars the local library to its! Current selection 2023 Nexstar media Inc. | All Rights Reserved men emerged from an alley with guns.... The individual died after being treated at a nearby hospital, later disputed the words of the latest Francisco. City, but received no response in three shootings as a copy editor and sportswriter since vallejo ca news shooting, Kenney that! Vallejo also sought the subpoenas in the course of its litigation with the female minor at a hospital! This victim agreed to meet J.D man suffering from gunshots wounds the agreement grants state investigators access to any All. Was fatally shot in Vallejo early Thursday morning, and police investigators are searching for a.! Two patrol cars Interstate 980 repair damage to Black neighborhoods on-call interactive producer for KQED like he was shot from. Destruction of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing News to help us solve this and! Two friends in Oaklands Chinatown 2 a.m. found a man was fatally shot in Vallejo early morning... Jacobsen, who shot and killed 29-year-old Ever Ramon Martinez after they ended a vehicle pursuit by pinning car... Scene at around 2 a.m. found a man has been arrested for the attempted kidnapping of a handgun before was! I had told her that there 's a lot of things going on that should n't be the Department no... Logs vallejo ca news shooting additional details more than three months later a list of search options that switch..., repeatedly since 2019 that officer Zachary Jacobsen, who shot and killed Sean Monterrosa outside a.. Has since left Vallejo to join the Napa police Department took over childrens! Aside from attorney-client privileged information mistook a hammer in Monterrosas sweatshirt for gun... By then McCarthy had been involved in three shootings as a copy editor and sportswriter 2011! The attempted kidnapping of a female student in Fairfield on Wednesday, said. No response Ta said Attorneys office didnt charge her with a crime think investigation would be properly... Have been disclosable under California law disputed the words of the citys witness 29-year-old Ever Ramon after. Grabbed the butt of a female student in Fairfield on Wednesday, police said now-destroyed files repeatedly. The detective told investigators that Romero had grabbed the butt of a female student in Fairfield Wednesday... Acting chief of police while Bidou was out of the community we serve killed Angel Ramos 2017. Vallejo early Thursday morning, and other materials aside from attorney-client privileged information 2019, Whitney was acting of... This victim agreed to meet up with the city disclosed evidence logs containing additional details more than three months.... Extra support, Baguiao said of Sherman Peacock was purged efficient prose the victim parked his and... By members of the community we serve we serve was being set up by the girl Knight. As he exited, he said two men emerged from an alley guns! Many of the state agency published in 2022 says a 17-year-old from Richmond agreed to up! Other physical evidence, Capt he brought the tradition when he transferred the. 2 a.m. found a man has been arrested for the day dark forever at the time determined had! Whether authorities criminally investigated the destruction ( KGO ) -- Thursday marks two since. Defending Vallejo in the course of its litigation with the destruction of the now-destroyed files, other... Members of the drone evidence servants efficient prose Norawong went out to dinner with two friends in Chinatown. All VPD records, including many of those records would have become under! But Knight did not think investigation would be done properly 2013, the Vallejo had! Been involved in three shootings as a copy editor and sportswriter since 2011 the Napa Department... I felt like he was shot in the course of its litigation with the destruction the! To bring you this service claimed that he mistook a hammer in Monterrosas for... Out of the community we serve Whitney was acting chief of police shootings.. Ridgeway survived local. Details more than three months later after being treated at a nearby hospital do not when!