Two Pittsburg police officers who fired shots at a Brentwood man during a fatal confrontation last year will not be charged with any criminal wrongdoing following an investigation into the incident by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.
District Attorney Diana Becton announced her decision regarding Ofc. John Odell and Ofc. Gregory Simpson in a statement through spokesman Ted Asregadoo on Friday. The two officers fired guns at Brentwood resident Patrick Watkins on May 20, 2021. Watkins died at the scene.
Prosecutors, if they believe something criminal has occurred, have the burden of proof to show that officers were not justified in their actions.
“The concluding opinion determined the actions by the peace officers against Patrick Watkins were justified in the use of lethal force,” Becton’s statement said. “Both officers acted with an actual and reasonable belief that deadly force was necessary in this incident to defend against an imminent threat of death or great bodily injury.”
Odell and Simpson were among a group of Pittsburg officers that responded to the 2300 block of Loveridge Road about 9:30 p.m. for a domestic violence call. Reports indicated that Watkins was banging on the door of his ex-girlfriend and that he had a gun.
Watkins was on a staircase leading from the first to the second floor. Authorities said he walked away from officers and didn’t listen to their commands to come down the stairs.
Ofc. Odell shot Watkins when he turned toward the officers and pointed a weapon, authorities said. Simpson also shot for the same reason, according to authorities.
Both officers testified in a coroner’s inquest that they clearly saw the barrel of Watkins’ gun pointed at officers. The department also released body-camera footage that depicted much of the incident.
An autopsy showed Watkins was hit in the left side of his chest and that the bullet pierced his heart and liver while fracturing a rib. A toxicology report revealed he had amphetamine, methamphetamine and cannabis chemicals in his body when the confrontation happened.
Source: www.mercurynews.com