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SFPD officers named in Mario Woods' fatal shooting; federal lawsuit filed

Published  December 11, 2015 11:02pm PST
News
KTVU FOX 2

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SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KTVU & BCN) - A lawyer for the family of Mario Woods announced Friday he has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the San Francisco Police Department.

The 26-year-old San Francisco resident was shot and killed by police Dec. 2 when five San Francisco police officers responding to a reported stabbing, opened fire.

Civil rights attorney John Burris said he has met with the Woods’ family and filed the lawsuit Friday.  

Burris' office has called the shooting of Woods an "unnecessary and tragic death at the hands of the San Francisco Police Department." Burris said it is similar to the recent police shooting deaths of La Quan MacDonald and Ron Johnson in Chicago, who were both shot in the back while moving away from police.

San Francisco police said the five officers who discharged their firearms are on administrative leave. SFPD released the names of the five officers Friday evening; Winson Seto, Antonio Santos, Charles August, Nicholas Cuevas, Scott Phillips. 

Chief Suhr maintained that this is an active and ongoing investigation and there are three investigations into this incident.  

Police have said Woods was armed with a kitchen knife at the time of the shooting and is suspected of stabbing a person earlier that day. San Francisco police Chief Greg Suhr has defended the use of force, saying the video shows Woods raising the hand holding the knife toward officers.

Burris said he has had an independent video and audio expert enhance the cell phone video footage of the shooting, which has been shared widely on social media.

When played frame-by-frame, Woods, seems to have his hands at his side as the first shot is fired. Burris said that shows that Woods was not a threat.

“That person [Woods] was not committing any crimes. Whether or not he was a suspect or not, that doesn't give you a basis to unload and use that kind of ammunition as if you were in a shooting gallery,” said Burris.

Burris maintains that officers shot Mario Woods roughly 20 times as he was trying to walk away. 

Police have not yet released information on how many rounds were fired at Woods and the San Francisco medical examiner's office has not released how many bullets struck Woods.

At Friday’s press conference, Burris and his team released graphic photos from Woods’ autopsy showing Woods was hit multiple times by bullets.

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and members of the community have called on the police department to alter their use of force policies to ensure that officers de-escalate conflicts.

Supervisor John Avalos commented on the recent call for Chief Suhr’s removal.

“I think how he presented this case, trying to present evidence that things were on the up and up, is very suspect. I think that should speak for itself whether he should continue,” Avalos said.

"Mario was used as target practice by reckless and malicious San Francisco police officers," Burris said in a statement released Thursday, adding, "the killing is an outrage and an affront to the African-American community."