San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies desirous about a 2022 shootout alongside a California highway that killed a teenage lady and her fugitive father won’t face any felony fees, state Lawyer Common Rob Bonta introduced Friday.
Bonta launched a document compiled by means of the California Division of Justice following an investigation that incorporated interviews with officials, witnesses who have been riding alongside the street that day and members of the family who recalled that the person and his daughter had a detailed courting. The legal professional normal known as the incident a sad scenario with a sad consequence.
“This document was once relatively tough to put up, and I sincerely hope it supplies the neighborhood with the solutions they’ve been looking forward to,” Bonta mentioned in a remark. “The California Division of Justice targets to spouse with legislation enforcement to construct a simply and equitable felony setting, making sure that the rule of thumb of legislation is upheld, and justice is on the market to everybody.”
Video and audio launched by means of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Division confirmed Savannah Graziano, 15, was once shot and killed as she approached deputies amid a hail of gunfire on Sept. 27, 2022. The video pictures recorded by means of a sheriff’s helicopter and witness dashboard cameras was once launched in 2024 in keeping with public data requests made by means of The Related Press and different media retailers.
In step with the Division of Justice overview, 45-year-old Anthony Graziano drove off along with his daughter after he shot and killed Tracy Martinez — his 45-year-old estranged spouse — as she attempted to escape from his pickup truck. Government mentioned the teenager was once within the truck when her mom was once shot, and an Amber Alert was once issued.
San Bernardino County deputies noticed the truck the next day to come, and a 41-mile (66-kilometer) pursuit ensued on Interstate 15. As Anthony Graziano was once riding, government mentioned a large number of rounds have been fired at deputies from the rear and passenger-side home windows of the car. Audio from the deputies’ belt recorders incorporated the sounds of rounds hitting their patrol cars. One deputy sustained gunshot wounds to his arm and to arms on either one of his arms.
Government mentioned photographs endured to be fired from Graziano’s truck after he drove off the highway and up an embankment. About 65 spent casings and 4 firearms have been discovered within the truck. The investigation additionally decided that 21 deputies returned hearth.
The document states that the car got here to a forestall and the teenager — dressed in a tactical helmet and vest — were given out of the entrance passenger door and to start with crouched at the floor. She then were given up and moved towards a deputy as he known as out to her. She raised her proper hand, and that’s when different deputies opened hearth, in line with the document.
Anthony Graziano was once discovered lifeless within the motive force’s seat. Post-mortem effects confirmed he died from a gunshot wound to the top and in addition suffered gunshot wounds to his shoulder, decrease again and leg. A toxicology document confirmed he had methamphetamine and amphetamine in addition to morphine and hydrocodone in his blood and urine.
No medicine or alcohol have been present in Savannah Graziano’s blood or urine. Her reason for dying was once indexed as gunshot wounds.
Gunshot residue was once found in samples taken from the arms of each the teenager and her father. The document notes that gunshot residue debris will also be deposited by means of firing a firearm, being in proximity of a discharging firearm, or by means of dealing with a firearm or ammunition.
The document states “no conclusion” will also be drawn from the residue checking out as as to whether the teenager or her father fired a firearm. However in making an attempt to recreate more than one taking pictures positions from within the truck given the positioning of powder burns left by means of the muzzle of a rifle discovered within the car, investigators discovered that the driving force wouldn’t have been ready to shoot the rifle and nonetheless care for keep an eye on of the gasoline and brake pedals.
Prosecutors famous within the document that proof urged that deputies believed each Graziano and his daughter — who was once skilled at dealing with firearms and had participated in firearms coaching drills along with her father — posed an drawing close risk and that the want to use deadly pressure was once affordable.
Members of the family instructed government that Graziano were residing in his truck and that his daughter would continuously stick with him, sound asleep within the truck subsequent to a park. They mentioned the teenager was once disenchanted about her oldsters’ divorce.
The document additionally incorporated suggestions associated with coaching and dash-mounted and body-worn digicam insurance policies. The legal professional normal’s place of work mentioned the sheriff’s division had carried out the learning suggestions following the incident.
