While responding to a call about a man choking a woman, a police officer was attacked by the suspect and bashed in the head with a “football-sized” rock. Despite the suspect’s fatal shooting being ruled “justified,” the county was forced to pay the suspect’s family a massive settlement.
When the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a man choking a woman and attempting to pull her out of her vehicle, officers rushed to a department-store parking lot to find 32-year-old Mikel McIntyre engaging with his mother, Brigett McIntyre. The call was reportedly the second alert that day police had received concerning the man’s erratic behavior. Incredibly, EMS had also responded separately that day about an emotional-disturbed man at the same address.
McIntyre’s mother confirmed that she had attempted twice that day to place her son on an involuntary psychiatric hold but that he failed to meet the criteria for such an action, according to the Sacramento Bee. Unfortunately, it would be the last time she would ever see him alive.
According to the official report, a witness at the scene told police that he saw “a white cop and a black male” in a physical struggle as the officer tried to arrest the man. He confirmed that the man fitting McIntyre’s description “broke free and then picked up a big piece of concrete and hit the officer in the head and chest with it,” Blue Lives Matter reports. The object turned out to be a large river rock, which left Wright bleeding profusely from a serious head injury.
“The rock was about the size of a football. The officer fell down and the black guy started running,” the witness told investigators. “I think the officer fired two shots at the black guy but I don’t think he hit him because he didn’t even break stride.”
McIntyre made his way toward an overpass before running down the side of the highway to evade pursuing police officers. Dashcam footage captured his death as officers fired 28 rounds, striking him in the back, both arms, both thighs, and his head before he was ultimately stopped by a police K9.
An investigation by Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert’s office concluded that the deputies’ actions and use of force were “justified” because McIntyre was a threat to the public, FOX40 reports. However, his family didn’t accept the ruling.
After filing a lawsuit for wrongful death, Sacramento County settled out of court with McIntyre’s family for $1.725 million. Even after settling with the county, McIntyre’s mother continues to accuse the police department of not only brutality but a conspiratorial coverup.
“The witnesses were saying, ‘No, the police officer slipped and fell and hit his head.’ They both entangled and they both fell and my son got up and started walking away,” Brigett said.
“If I went out and murdered somebody and lied about it, wouldn’t I spend time in jail? Even if they could prove it or not, I would still have to spend time in jail. What makes them above the law?” she accused. “It’s not right. It’s over excessive.”
Inspector General Rick Braziel lambasted the deputies for using an “excessive” and “unnecessary” number of rounds. He trivialized McIntyre’s actions, arguing that he wasn’t a serious threat since he was only armed with a large rock.
The DA’s office refutes allegations that the deputies used excessive force. Additionally, the investigative report concluded that McIntyre was fired upon because he posed “a significant threat of death or serious physical harm to the officers and others.”
Mikel McIntyre’s family continues to speak out against the police department’s actions. His mother now maintains that her son was never violent with her or Deputy Wright and that other witnesses corroborate her claims.
The fatal shooting is just one of several cases involving a black suspect and a white police officer that the media have chosen to highlight. Unfortunately, the outcome has only widened racial disparities and exacerbated the narrative that there is systemic racism in our justice system.
