The mayor of San Francisco has asked the Department of Justice to investigate the death of a young black man who was shot and killed by police officers.
Mario Woods, 26, died December 2. His death, which was captured on cell phone videos, sparked protests and calls for change.
“In the past few weeks, our city has grappled with a crisis all too common in so many other American cities — the dissolution of trust between communities of color and law enforcement — following the death of a young black man shot and killed by police officers.” San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee said in a letter addressed to U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch.
“We want to throw our doors open, inviting transparency and accountability. We seek answers, not just to the facts of Mr. Wood’s case, but also answers about how as a police department and a city we can build deeper, stronger trust between law enforcement and the communities they’re sworn to protect,” he said.
In the videos, a barrage of gunfire reverberates in the Bayview neighborhood of San Francisco as a man, surrounded by a sea of police officers, is shot and killed.
In a statement, San Francisco police laid out their version of events, saying officers first confronted Woods because a witness identified him as the attacker in a stabbing earlier in the afternoon. Police said Woods refused numerous demands to drop a knife and was a danger to others.
Despite being struck with police bean bag rounds and pepper spray, Woods, still armed with a knife, attempted to walk away. An officer moved to block him from fleeing, police said. Woods moved toward the officer. “At this point, fearing serious injury or death, officers fired their department handguns at the suspect,” police said.
Five patrol officers involved in the incident have been placed on administrative leave.