(KRON) — Three Martinez Police Division officers have been fired within the wake of a lethal police capturing.
Two brothers, Tahmon Wilson and Tommy Wilson, have been shot by MPD officers on August 18, 2023, outdoors Velvet hashish dispensary at 4808 Dawn Drive in Martinez. Tahmon died. Tommy survived his gunshot wounds and was taunted by then-Officer Giani Arone on the scene, in response to the police chief.
Arone advised Tommy, “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes,” in response to the chief.
On Friday, the Martinez Police Division confirmed three officers have been terminated, together with Arone. MPD additionally launched further information, police experiences, movies, and images associated to the police capturing.
The brothers have been suspected of making an attempt to burglarize Velvet, they usually triggered a safety alarm on August 18, 2023, police mentioned. Based on attorneys, the brothers have been driving away from the hashish retailer when 4 officers shot Tahmon behind his head. Tommy was shot twice in his again by police, attorneys mentioned.
Tahmon Wilson (Picture courtesy Pointer and Buelna regulation agency)
Martinez Police Chief Andrew White recognized the 4 officers as: Cole Bennett, Marc Kahue, Raul Ceja-Mendez, and Alexander Tirona.
Police say the brothers have been making an attempt to flee the scene when the sedan crashed into a fireplace hydrant.
MPD wrote, “In the days following the August 18, 2023 incident, the Martinez Police Department became aware of alleged misconduct that occurred at the scene, after the shots were fired.”
Tommy was a passenger within the sedan. Officer Arone, who arrived on scene after the capturing, struck Tommy along with his knee whereas Tommy was handcuffed, police mentioned.
Chief White wrote in a letter to Arone, “You violated several Martinez Police Department policies during this incident. One of the suspects — who had been shot — exited the vehicle at the direction of officers and was then handcuffed without resisting. While pulling him, you delivered two or three knee strikes to the suspect’s head/face area. Force was not justified because the suspect was handcuffed, not resisting, and not disobeying any commands.”
After Arone realized that Tommy had been shot by officers, Arone taunted the wounded man, telling him, “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes,” in response to the police chief.
Taunting an individual who had simply been shot by police, handcuffed, and victimized by extreme drive, was “disgraceful conduct,” the chief wrote.
Officer Arone then agreed to cover two knives for Officer Tirona, one of many officers concerned within the capturing. “One of the knives is a type that is prohibited to be worn on duty,” the chief wrote, and Arone hid the knives for Tirona to hide them from investigators.
Tirona and a second officer within the capturing, Bennett, have been booted from the police division for the alleged knife cover-up.
Chief White mentioned, “It is disappointing that misconduct occurred at the scene of this incident after the shooting and understandably adds a layer of complexity to the officer-involved shooting investigation. Once we learned of the misconduct, we took immediate action, conducting thorough investigations, and ultimately imposing termination as a disciplinary measure.”
The newly-released information embody transcripts of interviews with the 4 officers who opened hearth on the brothers. The 4 officers are nonetheless being investigated by the California Division of Justice. MPD mentioned it is ready for the DOJ to finish its investigation into the officers’ use of lethal drive.
Tommy is represented by civil rights legal professional Adanté Pointer of Pointer and Buelna regulation agency. Pointer beforehand advised KRON4, “There is no reasonable or lawful explanation for the lethal force employed by the four officers involved. State law prohibits using deadly force against a fleeing vehicle that does not pose an immediate threat.”
