(KRON) — A San Jose Police Department officer was placed on administrative leave this week for exchanging racist and “disgusting text messages” with a former SJPD officer, Police Chief Anthony Mata announced Friday evening.
“A current employee who was on the receiving end of some of the messages engaged in other concerning dialogue with the former officer. (The officer) was immediately placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation,” Chief Mata wrote.
The former police officer, Mark McNamara, shot a young Black man after a brawl broke out downtown inside La Victoria Taqueria on March 27, 2022, police said. K’aun Green “bravely disarmed a gunman” in the popular taqueria moments before McNamara arrived and shot Green, according to Green’s attorneys.
Green, 20, was shot four times, his attorneys said. He later recovered in a hospital and was never arrested for any crimes.
McNamara privately bragged to the police officer about shooting Green, according to documents containing a long chain of text messages released by Police Chief Mata on Friday. (Warning: Text messages contain disturbing language and profanity. The SJPD released text messages here.)
The name of the officer who McNamara allegedly exchanged text messages with was redacted in the documents. On the morning after the taqueria shooting, the officer sent McNamara a text writing, “This mofo gets back for like a month a smokes a fool lol,” documents state.
McNamara replied, “N***a wanted to carry a gun in the Wild West. Not on my watch haha,” according to the documents.
The officer wrote back, “Yea bruh I heard it was you right away. I was like oh s**t my boi ganked some fool. F**k yea lol,” documents state.
McNamara wrote, “If you wanna shoot this week let me know. Got plenty more loads to shoot,” documents state.
Evidence later surfaced that Green had actually disarmed the gunman before police shot Green. Green was an all-star high school football quarterback and a student-athlete at Contra Costa College in Pinole. Civil rights attorneys Adanté Pointer, Patrick Buelna, and Angel Alexander of the law firm Pointer & Buelna, LLP filed a civil rights lawsuit in April accusing McNamara of using excessive force.
“These civil lawyers are such parasites,” McNamara wrote in a text message dated June 21, documents state.
McNamara said he didn’t “give a s**t” about the case, according to the documents.
The unnamed officer allegedly replied that the city should, “Just pay the fu**er and leave you alone. Man hearing that makes me hate the job even more.”
McNamara allegedly responded, “Finally had to tell this city attorney what’s what. I’m like dude, I don’t give a s**t about this case. I’m white, he’s black, he’s gonna win. AND I DONT CARE. It’s like b**ch whatever they decide has no bearing on me what so ever. It’s basically kangaroo court.”
Documents state that McNamara continued venting in another text message, writing, “I didn’t use excessive force. Think I give a f**k what y’all (racial slur) think?!???? I’ll shoot you too!!!!! AHHHHHH!!!!!!”
McNamara was a San Jose Police Department officer for six years.
Police Chief Mata said the SJPD was already investigating the former officer for an “unrelated criminal investigation” when the text messages were discovered earlier this week.
“Immediately, Internal Affairs initiated a separate proactive administrative investigation,” the police chief wrote. McNamara’s departure from the police force happened recently, Mata said.
Chief Mata continued, “I am providing this disclosure in real time. I am committed as your Police Chief that I will rid our ranks of individuals who act in a manner counter to the mission and values of our department. If any employee’s racial bias rears its ugly head, rest assured that I will take immediate action to ensure they are not part of this organization.”
Mayor Matt Mahan said he will sleep better Friday night knowing that the officer is no longer carrying a badge and a gun.
“There is nothing more sickening than a person in power abusing their position. Despite this officer’s reprehensible conduct, we have the best police department in the nation and to keep it that way, we are going to fire any employee who does not show appropriate respect for every resident,” the mayor wrote.
Steve Slack, president of the San Jose Police Officers Association union, said the text messaging incident represents the actions of an individual, and does not represent the vast majority of police officers who serve with honor, respect, and dignity.
“Today’s announcement of racist text messages by a former police officer is a disconcerting reminder that not everyone has the moral compass necessary to be in the law enforcement profession. This behavior is beyond unacceptable, and we condemn it in the strongest possible terms,” Slack wrote.
