A Kidnapped Teen Shot by Police on Video Shows How Cops Still Fight Transparency and Accountability
It took nearly two years for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department to release audio and video footage of their killing of Savannah Graziano, a 15-year-old girl who had been kidnapped by her father. The police initially claimed that Graziano may have been shooting at police, or even that she may have been shot by her father.
But the footage makes clear that she was shot as she was crawling toward the police, to get away from her father, and that she was following police instructions. As she exited the vehicle, audio depicts an officer telling his colleagues, “Girl is out, the girl is out, guys. She’s out on the passenger side.” An officer then instructs her, “Come to me! Come, come, come…walk, walk, walk.”
Then, gunfire from police officers. The officer talking to Graziano then shouts “Hey! Stop! Stop shooting her! He’s in the car!”