Che Zuniga Jr (2021)

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Overview

Department OIS Video

On August 7, 2021, the Bakersfield California Police Department was called about a domestic argument where a man was armed with a gun. A second call reported that shots had been fired and the shooter had driven off in a green pickup truck. A security guard at a construction site reported that he had been fired on by someone in a vehicle matching the description. Another call reported the shooter was at a family member's house. Officers arrived and located the vehicle. Zuniga drove off as the officers watched from exposed positions on the side of the road. Zuniga led officers on a short chase before crashing. Officers Carson Puryear and Scott Mann, who had not activated their body-worn cameras, exchanged gunfire with Zuniga, who dropped his weapon and fled.[1][2]

Officers were searching for Zuniga when he emerged from a trash can and ran towards them, prompting Senior Officer Joshua Pena and officers Chad Dickson and Desmond Ramseur to fire, striking Zuniga.[1][2]

Officers rendered aid. Zuniga died.[1]

The incident was captured on officers' body-worn cameras.[3]


The California Department of Justice will conduct an independent investigation of the shooting, which is required under state law for officer-involved shootings of unarmed individuals.[4]

On July 22, 2024, the California Department of Justice released their report, finding that the officers acted "with the intent to defend themselves and others from what they believed to be imminent death or serious bodily injury", that the "officers' belief in the need to use deadly force was not unreasonable", and that criminal charges were unwarranted.[2]

Officers Involved

Public Comments

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Marco Torrez, UPDATE: Name released of man killed in officer-involved shooting in southwest Bakersfield, KGET, 2021-08-12
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Report on the Investigation into the Death of Che Noe Zuniga, Jr. on August 7, 2021, California Department of Justice, 2024-07
  3. ↑ Stine Road Officer Involved Shooting - 8/7/2021, Bakersfield Police Department, 2021-10-12
  4. ↑ Current Cases, State of California Department of Justice

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