Newly released law enforcement footage captures the moment California police fatally shot an unarmed 15-year-old girl who was a reported kidnapping victim.
On 27 September 2022, San Bernardino county sheriff’s deputies were searching for Savannah Graziano, who was feared abducted by her father Anthony Graziano after he had fatally shot her mother the day before.
Deputies cornered Anthony Graziano’s vehicle on the side of a freeway in Hesperia, 80 miles east of Los Angeles. When Savannah exited the vehicle, they opened fire and killed her.
The
shootingsparked national concern, with critics questioning how officers wound up killing the teenage girl they were tasked with rescuing.
Sheriff’s officials
claimed following the shooting that it was unclear whether Savannah was shot by deputies or her father, and they said deputies didn’t realize it was her when she got out of the car. For nearly two years, they refused to release footage of the shooting.
But on Friday, the department disclosed nearly a dozen video files to the independent journalist Joey Scott, who filed records requests 18 months prior.
The clips – which were shared with the Guardian and include helicopter footage – show deputies shooting at Savannah as she followed their instructions to move toward them.
The videos also suggest deputies shot her after two officers remarked that it was the girl who exited.
The footage, and the sheriff’s narration of the video, further make clear she was killed by deputies, not her father.
The sheriff’s department declined to comment.….
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...girl-savannah-graziano?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other