VALLEJO, Calif. (KRON) — The Vallejo Police Department is under investigation for the destruction of evidence in the Sean Monterrosa case.
The windshield of the Vallejo police car involved in the shooting death of 22-year-old Sean Monterrosa has been destroyed, officials announced Wednesday.
The vehicle was placed back into service without prior consultation with the Police Chief or City Attorney’s Office.
The City of Vallejo is now seeking a criminal investigation and requests that the destruction of evidence be included.
The June 2 shooting came after police were responding to Walgreens on the 1000 block of Redwood Street in Vallejo following reports of possible looting. An officer, who was sitting in his police cruiser, shot Monterrosa after mistaking a hammer in his pocket for a gun, Vallejo police chief Shawny Williams said.
After sparking lots of outrage within the community and beyond, the City of Vallejo requested that the Solano County District Attorney’s Office or Attorney General Xavier Becerra’s office conduct the criminal investigation on this officer-involved shooting.
“Certainly it appears that something criminal has happened. We were very concerned when we learned about it yesterday. It’s interfered with criminal prosecution and it’s interfered with our federal civil rights case it’s prejudiced to our case and the ability to prosecute this officer. Why wasn’t the entire truck taken into custody immediately,” Melissa Nold, attorney of Monterrosa family, said.
In addition, the city is in contact with the FBI.
City officials say “an employee has been placed on administrative leave” while the city retains an outside investigator to conduct the administrative investigation into the destruction of evidence.
No other details are available at this time.
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