Family of San Bernardino man shot and killed by police reveals results of independent autopsy
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who's representing the family, says the report shows all of the victim's wounds were to the back.
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KABC) -- The family of Rob Adams gathered on the steps of San Bernardino City Hall Friday to call for justice once again. This time, however, they came with the results of an independent autopsy.
The 23-year-old was fatally shot in July during a confrontation with two San Bernardino police officers that was captured by a surveillance camera.
"None of the seven shots striking Rob Adams, who we all see was retreating on the video, have a front to back trajectory," said civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the family in a potential civil lawsuit against the police department, holding the results of the autopsy report in his hand.
He said the results of the report performed on Aug. 8 reveal all of Adams' wounds were to the back.
"They were not threatened by a Black man running away from them. There was no reason for them to shoot this Black man running away from them seven times," said Crump.
READ ALSO | Video raises questions about deadly officer-involved shooting in San Bernardino
The shooting happened on Saturday, July 16, in a parking lot.
According to authorities, officers were investigating an illegal online gambling business.
In the surveillance video, Adams is seen pulling something from his waistband as police pull up in an unmarked car.
As the officers exit their vehicle, Adams runs and they open fire, shooting him as he flees.
Authorities say Adams was armed at the time and while he didn't point the weapon at officers, they believed Adams was taking cover behind parked cars to shoot at them.
Video from one of the officer's body cameras appears to show Adams tossing a gun on the roof. Authorities say they recovered a gun that contained a bullet in the chamber along with a fully loaded magazine.
"It was a coward way to kill someone," said Robert Adams about his son's death.
Tamika King, Rob Adams' mother, said she was on the phone with her son at the time of the shooting and that he was holding his cellphone and not a gun.
"I'm in pain," she said. "I won't see my son walk through that door no more. I won't see his beautiful smile. I won't have his love and loyalty that he had for his family no more. So, I ask for justice, that's all. I want justice for Rob."
Eyewitness News reached out to the San Bernardino Police Department, which did not have a comment, but said the investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
Funeral services for Rob Adams will take place Saturday, Aug. 20, in San Bernardino at Ecclesia Christian Fellowship.
The funeral is open to the public.
