California police officer who shot and killed unarmed kneeling man will not face charges

California’s attorney general has opted not to pursue charges against a police officer involved in the fatal shooting of an unarmed man, 22-year-old Sean Monterrosa, in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Vallejo Police Department officer Jarrett Tonn shot Monterrosa in June 2020 amid civil unrest triggered by George Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis a week earlier.

Tonn fired five shots through the patrol pickup’s windshield, hitting Monterrosa once in the head. Initial claims by law enforcement suggested they believed Monterrosa was armed, but a later discovery revealed a hammer in his sweatshirt pocket.

The shooting prompted a Department of Justice investigation, leading to California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s statement on Tuesday, stating insufficient evidence to disprove Tonn’s self-defense claim.

“Sean Monterrosa’s life mattered and there is nothing that can make up for his death. His loss is and will continue to be felt by his family and the Bay Area community,” Mr Bonta said.

Monterrosa’s sister, Michelle, expressed frustration at the decision not to charge Tonn.

“It’s just really disappointing that we see people put their political careers ahead of actually doing what they need to do to bring justice to our loved ones,” she told The AP.

The shooting, where Tonn fired from a moving vehicle’s backseat, raised questions about the patrol pickup’s damaged windshield, prompting city officials to seek a criminal investigation into the incident.

Despite being terminated by the police department last year for violating various policies, including unjustifiable use of deadly force and failure to de-escalate, Mr. Tonn was reinstated this year following a successful appeal, according to KCRA reports.