Law officers were justified when they shot and killed a Los Gatos man after he tried to rob a Redding bank last month, law-enforcement officials said Wednesday.
At a morning news conference at the Redding Police Department, Police Chief Peter Hansen and Shasta County District Attorney Gerald Benito said that they had concluded that the seven officers who fired their weapons at 20-year-old Brandon Reuter had acted within police department guidelines for using deadly force. Click here to read Hansen’s full statement.
Reuter died after being hit approximately 14 times in a hail of bullets when the officers fired about 30 rounds, authorities said.
The youth was shot after a police dog pounced on him as he bolted from the bank heist, police said. Swinging wildly at the German shepherd, he suddenly pointed what appeared to be a 9 mm Beretta handgun, police said, at a group of approaching officers. Seconds later, Reuter, who had graduated near the top of his high school class two and a half years ago, died in a hail of bullets.
The weapon turned out to be a BB gun.
“The officers’ actions were justified and were based on their perceptions that their lives and the lives of fellow officers were in immediate danger of serious injury or death,” the police chief told reporters.
Benito said no criminal charges will be filed against any of the officers.
“Clearly, this shooting by each officer was justified,” Benito said. “The officers acted bravely, professionally and rationally.” Click here to read Benito’s full statement.
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