A new policy issued in the wake of the shooting death of Mario Woods earlier this month requires San Francisco police officers to justify pointing their firearms at an individual for any reason.
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After videos of the shooting emerged, critics called for Police Chief Greg Suhr to resign during public meetings- including the SFPD’s Town Hall meeting on the incident.
Burris said the lawsuit aims to prove that what happened to Woods was unlawful and also aims to change any policies carried out by the Police Department that are found to be unconstitutional.
The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court in San Francisco on behalf of Woods’ mother, Gwendolyn, claims police used excessive force and violated Woods’ civil rights.
The officers who fired their weapons in the December 2 shooting are Winson Seto, Antonio Santos, Charles August, Nicholas Cuevas and Scott Phillips, according to police. “It’s unfortunate that it cost somebody their life, and that this policy is essentially written in blood”, Pointer said, adding the department also needs better training, a change in culture and a renewed focus on de-escalation tactics and nonlethal conflict resolution.
“When they have to account for a use of force and be held accountable for it, then it lowers the likelihood of them pulling the guns when they shouldn’t be pulling the guns”, he said.
Two videos were quickly posted on social media following Woods’ death that appeared to show officers firing on Woods as he tried to walk away, fueling outrage from community members. Police were responding to a stabbing report in the city’s gritty Bayview neighborhood when they encountered and surrounded Woods.
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Burris said he thinks the new policy will lessen the chance of accidental shootings. “You didn’t want to do paperwork – you wanted to be out on the streets”.
