Last Updated Mar 27, 2018 1:24 PM EDT
SACRAMENTO – The California Attorney General announced Tuesday that the state Justice Department will be conducting an independent investigation into the shooting of Stephon Cark.
Clark, 22, was standing in his grandmother’s back yard holding a cellphone last Wednesday when police fired 20 shots at him, killing him on the spot. The fatal shooting sparked days of protests in Sacramento, followed by a candlelight vigil on Sunday.
Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Mayor Darrell Steinberg, Chief of Police Daniel Hahn and other Sacramento community leaders spoke to the public at a press conference Tuesday.
“Due to the nature of the investigation, the extremely high emotions, anger and hurt in our community,” Hahn said, he decided it was best for attorney general to independently investigate the shooting.
Becerra said his department will also be conducting an independent review of police use-of-force training and protocols.
However, Mayor Steinberg said that the city will not have to wait for the AG’s investigation to begin “asking and answering” a set of questions brought by the community in the aftermath of Clark’s death. The city council and the police department will also be reviewing protocols.
“We can do that and we can do it thoroughly without prejudging the investigation,” said Steinberg.
The Sacramento city council is expecting a large crowd at a public meeting scheduled for Tuesday evening.
Chief Hahn refrained from answering questions about the individual officers due to the number of death threats he says they are receiving.
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