RAGE YOU CAN
COUNT ON.
THIS IS KSBW ACTION NEWS 8.
DAN: GOOD EVENING.
I'M DAN GREEN.
ERIN CLARK IS OFF TONIGHT.
WE ARE BEGINNING TONIGHT WITH A
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY SHERIFF'S
DEPUTY CLEARED OF SHOOTING A
WATSONVILLE TEEN.
FIVE MONTHS AFTER THE SHOOTING
DEATH OF 15-YEAR-OLD LUKE SMITH,
THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY DISTRICT
ATTORNEY OFFICE HAS DETERMINED
THAT THE SHERIFF'S DEPUTY WAS
JUSTIFIED IN HIS USE OF FORCE.
THEY ALSO RELEASED FINDINGS FROM
AN INTERNAL INVEST GEISHA AND
AREA ACTION NEWS REPORTER PHIL
GOMEZ IS LIVE IN SANTA CRUZ WITH
TONIGHT'S TOP STORY.
PHIL THE SHERIFF'S SERIOUS
INCIDENT REVIEW BOARD MET FOR
THE PAST TWO MONTHS AND INCLUDED
CONCERNS RAISED BY LUKE SMITHS
FAMILY.
THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE RELEASED 15
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
TODAY, MOST OF THEM ARE ALREADY
IN PLACE.
>> THESE EFFORTS I HAVE
DESCRIBED TO YOU HAVE IMPROVED
OUR ABILITIES TO PRESERVE LIFE
IN CHALLENGING AND DANGEROUS
CIRCUMSTANCES.
LUCAS, WE NEED YOU TO STOP.
REPORTER: THIS IS BODY CAMERA
VIDEO RELEASED BY THE SHERIFF'S
OFFICE DAYS AFTER THE TRAGIC
SHOOTING DEATH OF 15-YEAR-OLD
LUKE SMITH.
THE SHERIFF'S INCIDENT REVEIW
BOARD MET FOR TWO MONTHS AND
RELEASED FIFTEEN FINDINGS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS.
AT A NEWS CONFERENCE TODAY, THE
SHERIFF RELEASED THEM TO THE
PUBLIC.
THEY INCLUDE, PROVIDE TRAINING
CONCERNING THE APPROPRIATE USE
OF A CANINE ON PEOPLE UNDER THE
INFLUENCE OF HALLUCINOGENS,
EXPERIENCE, MENTAL HEALTH OR
ARMED WITH A WEAPON.
AND RESTRAINTS SHOULD NOT DELAY
OR INTERFERE WITH LIFE SAVING
EFFFORTS, AND SHOULD BE REMOVED
IF THEY DO
>> WHETHER OR NOT THOSE
RESTRAINTS WOULD CONTINUE TO
STAY ON, PARTICULARLY IF YOU
HAVE BEEN SHOT AND YOU NO LONGER
POSE ANY DANGER.
WE'LL BE TRAINING IN THAT.
PHIL: ACTIVISTS BELIEVE THAT
THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE A GOOD
STEP IN PROVIDING SAFETY FOR
PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE A SERIOUS
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE OR BE HIGH
ON DRUGS.
>> ONE OF THE MOST LANDMARK
ISSUES OF THAT CAME OUT OF THIS
WHICH MIGHT IMPACT
ENFORCEMENT ALL ACROSS THE NINTH
STATE IS THE UNTAMED CUPPING OF
PEOPLE -- THE UN HANDCUFFING OF
PEOPLE WHEN THEY A INFURED.
-- INJURED.
PHIL: LAST NOVEMBER 15-YEAR-OLD
LUKE SMITH STABBED HIS FATHER
AND UNCLE.
HE WAS HIGH ON LSD.
FIRE FIGHTERS, AND WHEN NON
LETHAL FORCE FAILED HE WAS SHOT
ONCE BY SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
SHERIFF DEPUTY, CHRIS VIGIL.
AT A SEPERATE NEWS CONFERENCE
VIGIL WAS CLEARED OF ANY
CRIMINAL CHARGES BY THE DISTRICT
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
>> OFFICER CHRISTOPHER MANNEY
JEWEL IS NOT LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE ROUND HE FIRED THAT
KILLED LUKE SMITH.
PHIL: SHERIFF JIM HART SUMMED UP
THE FEELINGS OF THE COMMUNITY
AFTER LUKE SMITHS DEATH.
>> NO ONE FEELS GOOD ABOUT THIS
CASE.
WE DON'T EVER WANT A CALL FOR
SERVICE TO END THIS WAY.
IT IS TAKEN A TOLL ON THE
COMMUNITY, IT'S TAKEN A TOLL ON
THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
NOBODY WINS.
PHIL: THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WILL
ADD ANOTHER FULL-TIME MENTAL
HEALTH LIAISON TO ASSIST THE
DEPUTIES GEARING CRISIS
ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION.
IT WILL THE THE SECOND FUL TIME
MENTAL HEALTH POSITION ADDED.
DAN: THANK YOU.
THIS IS JUST THE LATEST
DEVELOPMENT IN THI
INVESTIGATION.
IT ALL STEMS FROM THAT SHOOTING
NOVEMBER 19 NEAR LUKE'S HOME IN
WATSONVILLE.
POLICE SAY HE WAS HIGH ON LSD AT
THE TIME AND REFUSED TO DROP A
NICE -- KNIFE HE WAS HOLDING.
TWO DAYS LATER, SANTA CRUZ
COUNTY SHERIFF'S RELEASED BODY
CAMERA VIDEO.
THEY SAY BEFORE LUKE WAS SHOT,
THEY HAD DEPLOYED TASERS, FOAM
ROUNDS AND FINALLY A CANINE WAS
BROUGHT IN.
NONE HAD ANY EFFECT ON THE
15-YEAR-OLD.
THE FOLLOWING MONTH IN DECEMBER,
HIS FAMILY WRITES AN EDITORIAL
THAT IS PUBLISHED IN USA TODAY
THEY CAMPAIGN FOR NEW
LEGISLATION CALLED LUKE'S LAW.
CALLING FOR CHANGES TO THE WAY
POLICE HANDLE YOUNG PEOPLE AND
No comments:
Post a Comment