EXCLUSIVE: Graphic footage shows FIVE cops shooting dead a blind man in convenience store because he was ‘agitated’ and ‘holding a knife’
January 20, 2017 in News by RBN Staff
Source: Daily Mail | By RYAN PARRY
- James Hall, 47, who was legally blind and suffered from schizoaffective disorder, was shot and killed in November of 2015
- Newly released graphic CCTV footage shows Hall surrounded by heavily armed cops before being gunned down at a Chevron Station in Fontana, California
- Court documents exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com reveal that Hall’s family is suing police for using ‘excessive force’
- They are claiming Hall was a ‘peaceful person’ with no violent tendencies and are demanding a re-investigation
- In 2010, Hall was even awarded a Citizen Citation for his community service
In CCTV footage James Hall, 47, (pictured) is surrounded by heavily armed cops before being gunned down at a Chevron Station in Fontana, California
Shocking video shows several police officers cornering a mentally ill man before shooting him dead in a convenience store.
In the CCTV footage, obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com, James Hall, 47, is surrounded by heavily armed cops before being gunned down at the Chevron Station in Fontana, California.
Hall, who was legally blind and suffered from schizoaffective disorder – a combination of schizophrenia symptoms and mood disorder – seemed agitated when he entered the store in the early hours of November 22, 2015.
According to a police statement, at the time officers were responding to a 911 call reporting a possible robbery in progress and say that when they arrived they found Hall in front of the store armed with a knife, and holding a large rock in his other hand.
The CCTV footage does appear to show Hall carrying items in his hands.
Moments later five police officers descend on the gas station, three armed with handguns, one brandishing a blunt impact projectile launcher and a fifth officer handling a trained police dog. The court papers said 20 officers were involved and one had an assault rifle.
Seen on video: The CCTV footage from the convenience store shows James Hall walking through it. Police say he had a knife and a rock in his hand
Five police officers descend on the gas station, three armed with handguns, one brandishing a blunt impact projectile launcher and a fifth officer handling a trained police dog
In a tense stand off shown in the video, the officers corner Hall – who reportedly had a knife and large rock in his hands outside the store – and shoot him dead
Hall’s family maintain that an officer fired a shot at him and then Hall ‘cowered’ in the back of the store where he was shot. In the aftermath of his shooting police surrounded his body
In the terrifying footage, one of the officers is seen sending in the police dog before the whole team moves in and surrounds Hall, shooting him dead.
In the video Hall, who is the only person inside the store other than a clerk, does not appear to pose a threat to the officers or advance at them in any way.
Now DailyMail.com has learned Hall’s family is suing Fontana Police Department for using ‘excessive force’.
According to their lawsuit, Hall had been acting ‘peacefully’ when he encountered a group of Fontana PD officers outside the Chevron gas station at around 4.15am.
But the officers, the suit says, escalated the encounter and eventually ‘deployed lethal force’, killing Hall.
The suit states that one of the officers fired a shot at Hall as they entered the store and then deployed the police dog.
Hall became ‘startled’ and ran to the rear of the store where he ‘cowered’.
The suit states: ‘The Defendant officers cornered Decedent Hall in the rear of the convenience store, brandishing firearms, including an assault rifle.
Now Hall’s family is suing Fontana Police Department for using ‘excessive force’. According to their lawsuit, Hall had been acting ‘peacefully’ when he encountered the group of officers
‘As the Defendant officers continued to surround Decedent Hall, one of them opened fire on him, and Decedent Hall fell to the ground.’
It added that a team of around ten officers ‘swarmed’ around Hall’s body with their weapons drawn, by which point he was already dead.
Leading Los Angeles civil rights attorney Mark Geragos is suing Fontana Police Department and 20 officers involved in the case on behalf of Hall’s family.
The suit asks for relief and brands the killing a ‘wrongful act’ by officers who acted in ‘reckless and callous disregard’ for Hall.
The suit goes on to accuse Fontana police of operating a culture whereby the use of excessive force is encouraged and accuses the force of failing to conduct an ‘unbiased investigation’ in to Hall’s death.
The portrayal of Hall by the police to the media in the aftermath of his death seems at odds with how Hall was remembered. According to a statement by Fontana PD following the incident, officers responded to a 911 call reporting a possible robbery in progress at the Chevron station.
Officers arrived and found Hall in front of the store allegedly armed with a knife and holding a large rock in his other hand.
The ‘suspect’ saw the officers and retreated into the store where the clerk was, police said. Officers claimed they went into the store in an attempt to keep the clerk safe from Hall.
Police attempted to talk Hall into surrendering, but he allegedly advanced on them and an officer-involved shooting occurred, police said. However, the video footage does not appear to show Hall advancing towards officers.
Hall was pronounced dead at the scene.
In 2010 Hall was awarded a Citizen Citation from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office for assisting in the rescue of a four-year-old autistic child
Hall, who is survived by four siblings, was a ‘peaceful person’ who had been awarded for his community service, according to the documents filed at the Superior Court of California in San Bernardino.
In fact, in 2010 Hall was awarded a Citizen Citation from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office for assisting in the rescue of a four-year-old autistic child.
Hall is well known throughout his neighborhood for his ‘peaceful nature’ and residents were fully aware of his disabilities, according to the lawsuit.
Family members have also said Hall did not have violent tendencies, according to attorney Ben Meiselas, of Geragos & Geragos in LA.
‘James was not observed by family, friends, or those who knew him as having violent tendencies because of his mental illness,’ he said.
‘The family is also puzzled and alarmed by characterizations of the incident as an “armed robbery” when the only facts released were that James was outside the Chevron station the entire time until police arrived and drew their guns. James lived down the block from the station.’
Mr Meiselas added that the Hall family wants answers from Fontana PD and an independent investigation into the facts and circumstances surrounding the officer involved shooting death.