$4 million settlement reached in fatal San Bernardino police shooting

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A $4 million settlement has been reached in a civil rights lawsuit against the city of San Bernardino after a man was killed by police two years ago.

The settlement was reached on Feb 17, according to the city, and stems from the fatal shooting death of Rob Marquise Adams, who was gunned down in July 2022.

"San Bernardino agreed to the settlement recognizing the costs and attorneys' fees to take a federal civil rights case to trial, as well as the risks associated with a civil jury, given the current climate in the courts," said attorney Steven Rothans, who represented the city on the case.

2022 police shooting

The incident happened on July 16, 2022, in a parking lot in the 400 block of W. Highland Avenue in San Bernardino. Police said they were conducting surveillance in an unmarked vehicle when they saw Adams armed with a gun.

As officers exited their vehicle, they said they gave Adams verbal commands, but he immediately ran toward two parked vehicles with the gun in his right hand.

"I loved my son dearly, and a piece of me is gone," said the victim's mother, Tamika King, during a press conference on Friday.

Well-known civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is one of the attorneys representing the family, said the police department tried to dismiss the allegations.

"When they first came to us, they were trying to say, 'Everything is justified. The officers did nothing wrong,' but thank God, we saw the video for ourselves," he said.

The incident was caught on surveillance video. Police said it happened at an illegal gambling business. In the video, you can see when police arrive in an unmarked car to reports of a man with a gun.

Adams is seen running away.

"They are in an unmarked green car, no lights, no sirens, they're not in traditional police uniform, and it looks like a drive-by shooting," said attorney Brad Gage.

On Friday, attorneys also showed a 3D video of the incident. They said Adams was not a threat, but police still shot him six times.

"Why did they settle the case? Because six shots in the back, you can't explain that," said Crump. "I mean, when you look at this video, you can't explain why he fired the second shot. The third shot, fourth shot, fifth shot, sixth shot."

The city of San Bernardino issued a statement, saying the officers did identify themselves and that Adams had a gun.

"Believing that the subject was trying to find cover and ambush the officers, one of the officers fired six rounds."

The family settled, but they now want charges against the officers.

"We got civil, now our next step will be criminal charges. We will try to get them prosecuted for what they did," said King.

The attorneys said all of their evidence is now being turned over to the district attorney's office and said they will push for an investigation.