San Bernardino police officers conducting surveillance on an illegal casino fatally shot a man who was running away while he was armed with a handgun, the Police Department said Monday evening, July 18.
The shooting unfolded Saturday, July 16, around 8:05 p.m. when two uniformed officers were in an unmarked car in the 400 block of West Highland Avenue, authorities said in a news release. The officers were informed that a man with a gun was in the parking lot, police said.
When the officers drove into the parking lot, a man pulled a gun from his waistband and walked towards the car, the Police Department said. The officers then got out of their car and gave verbal commands, but the man, who was identified as 23-year-old Rob Marquise Adams of San Bernardino, ran away towards two cars while still carrying the weapon, according to police.
One of the officers fired his gun and struck Adams, police said. It wasn’t immediately clear how many gunshots were fired.
The officers rendered Adams medical aid and he was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.
A second man at the scene was taken into custody by police, however, it was not immediately clear what he was arrested for.
A loaded 9mm handgun with a bullet in the chamber, carried by the suspect, was found at the scene, officials said.
The shooting sparked rebuke from Adams’ family, who said in an interview with CBS Los Angeles that he did not know there were officers in the unmarked car and that he was running away.
“I can understand if (Adams) was a threat to (the officers), but (Adams) was not a threat to them, he was running for his life,” said Tamika Deavila King, Adams’ mother, in an interview with the TV station.
Adams’ family called for the officers to be brought to justice for his killing and face criminal charges.
Surveillance footage showed Adams running and facing away from the officers when the shooting occurred.
“We are aware of a surveillance video clip circulating online that fails to provide any details or context as to what occurred during the incident,” the San Bernardino Police Department said in its news release. “As with any incident of this nature, we must collect and review all of the information and available evidence, including video, before sharing details.”
Police planned to release additional footage of the interaction, authorities said.
“We are asking the community to please withhold their judgment on the situation until they have all the available facts and details,” said Chief Darren Goodman.
Anyone with information regarding the investigation was asked to contact Detective Billy Flesher at 909-384-5655.
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