Drone video captured the moment police fatally shot a 19-year-old man after he pointed a gun at an officer — a weapon that turned out to be a “real-looking” BB gun, authorities said.
The man, Gerardo Martinez, 19, was fatally shot by Salinas Police Officer Mario Reyes on Friday night, Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni said in a statement.
On Monday, Monterey County district lawyer Jannin Pasioni updated the public about what happened before and after police officer Mario Reyes fired three rounds at Gerald Martinez. The office also released a deadly shooting drone footage included in this report.
Video below:
Drone video captured the moment police fatally shot a 19 year old man after he pointed a gun at an officer — a weapon that turned out to be a "real-looking" BB gun, authorities said. pic.twitter.com/yGODkwyxDt
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This is what the police and prosecutors say happened.
Around 8 pm on Friday, a 911 dispatcher in Monterey County received a call from a Salinas man saying he pointed his black pistol about five minutes before his “very drunk” neighbor called. The incident happened on 100 blocks of Smith Street, Philis said.
The man’s neighbor was later identified as Martinez.
When the 911 operator asked the caller what Martinez was doing with a gun, he said, “He turned it at us, and he’s really drunk now.” “I need an officer here as soon as possible,” he said, according to a statement from the district attorney.
The police statement said that in September, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill requiring the state Justice Department to investigate fatal police shootings of unarmed civilians. However, the Justice Department “declined to investigate this shooting because Mr. Martinez was armed according to DOJ’s interpretation of the statute,” it said.
Prosecutors said the law defines a deadly weapon to include, but is not limited to, any loaded weapon from which a shot can result in death or other physical injury, officials said.