Independent Autopsy Shows Rob Adams Shot by San Bernardino Police 7 Times, Lawyer Says

20 August 2022

An independent autopsy report involving the controversial police shooting of a Black man in the city of San Bernardino concluded he was shot from behind seven times.

Nationally known civil rights attorney Ben Crump is representing the family of Rob Adams.

Crump says the surveillance video and autopsy report prove that the shooting was not justified.

“He wanted to buy a house in Hollywood. He wants to go back to college for business management and he started his dog kennel before he left so he was able to be see his first puppies born,” Tamika King, Adams’ mother, said.

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On the day before she will bury her 23-year-old son, King is still trying to accept that he is gone.

“When I say this is pain like literally I am in pain,” she said.

Last month San Bernardino police shot and killed Adams after investigators say officers in answered a 911 call about a man with a gun. Surveillance video shows the officers in an unmarked car confronting Adams who quickly runs away.

“None of the seven shots striking Rob Adams, who we all see was retreating in the video, have a front to back trajectory,” Crump said.

Renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump unveiled the results of an independent autopsy at a news conference.

It was paid for by former NFL football player Colin Kaepernick, who protested police brutality and racial inequality by kneeling during the national anthem.

Crump says the autopsy and video prove that the shooting was unjustified.

“There was no reason for them to shoot this Black man running away from them seven times. Seven times!” Crump said.

Days after the shooting, San Bernardino police chief Darren Goodman released an edited video from the officers body cameras. He says two officers were surveilling a parking lot outside an illegal gambling business after getting the 911 call.

“The officers exited the vehicle and gave Adams verbal commands but he immediately ran toward two parked vehicles with the gun in his righthand,” Goodman says in the video. “Seeing that he had no outlet- they believe he had intended to use the vehicle as cover to shoot at them.”

The chief says the surveillance video shows Adams was holding the loaded gun in his right hand. But attorneys for Adams and his family believe he was actually holding a cellphone, and didn’t know the men in the unmarked car were police officers.

“Why would you send undercover police officers versus a marked police officer so everybody would know?” Crump said.

Crump is now asking the state attorney to consider criminal charges against the officers.

“Rob didn’t shoot anybody they should be looking at the people who shot,” Crump said.

San Bernardino police say the investigation is still ongoing and at this time they don’t have any further statements.
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