SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Federal authorities are opening their own investigation into Sacramento police officers’ fatal shooting last year of an unarmed black vandalism suspect.
U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott and Sean Ragan, who heads the FBI’s Sacramento office, said Tuesday that they will examine whether the slaying of 22-year-old Stephon Clark violated his federal civil rights.
The review will be conducted along with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
The announcement came immediately after California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced that he would not file criminal charges against the two officers.
It came three days after Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert ruled out charges, leading to renewed protests.
Both prosecutors say the evidence shows the officers had reason to believe their lives were endangered, though investigators found only a cellphone.
