(WARNING: 21+) The city of Eagle Point will pay $4.5 million to settle a federal wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of an unarmed man who was shot and killed by an officer in the bathroom of a fast-food restaurant after the officer pursued him for an alleged jaywalking offense. Matthew Graves, 33, died on Sept. 19, 2018. Officer Daniel Cardenas followed Graves, who had schizophrenia, into a Carl’s Jr. men’s bathroom in the southern Oregon town. Cardenas shot Graves in the back twice after initially firing a stun gun at Graves during a 90-second encounter and struggle inside the bathroom. Michael and Vikki Graves filed the suit in U.S. District Court in Medford in December 2018, two days after the release of transcripts from a grand jury that ruled Cardenas was legally justified in shooting Matthew Graves.🔫👮🏻‍♂️ #shooting

The family contends the Eagle Point officer did nothing to de-escalate his exchange with Matthew Graves and mistakenly believed Graves had grabbed a police handgun when Graves had grabbed a Taser during the bathroom struggle. “The Graves family emphasize that they support law enforcement officers in the heroic and often dangerous work they do,’’ their attorneys, Kelly L. Andersen and David J. Linthorst, wrote in a statement Tuesday. “They believe Cardenas’s conduct on the night of Sept. 19, 2018, was a terrible and tragic departure from the methods and manners the vast majority of police officers would have used in the same situation.’’

The family plans to use part of the settlement money to make annual charitable donations to mental health organizations that help people with schizophrenia and will make a significant donation to local groups that help homeless people, the lawyers said. City County Insurance, which insures the city of Eagle Point , its police department and the officer, will pay the settlement. “As a result of the settlement, Matthew’s parents hope that police officers throughout the United States will become better trained in how to interact with the mentally ill and to know how to use de-escalation techniques,’’ their lawyers said in the statement.

The family filed the lawsuit with the hope that it would help prevent another tragedy like their son’s death and spur the Taser stun gun manufacturer and law enforcement to “recognize the deadly consequences of using Tasers that are easily confused with handguns,’’ their lawyers said. In June, attorneys for the city of Eagle Point had offered to settle the suit for $1 million and to change the appearance of Tasers to avoid confusion with guns, according to court records. "As the Graves’ family, through their attorneys, have indicated their motivation is to ensure that an incident like this does not occur again, the defendants also agree that the Tasers used by the Eagle Point Police Department will be Cerakoted/or the finish treated to a bright color to be more easily identified,'' attorneys for the city, Thomas Armosino and Molly Silver, wrote in a settlement offer. "This Offer of Judgment is made for the purposes specified in Rule 68 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and is not to be construed either as an admission that any defendant is liable in this action.''

According to body camera footage and statements Cardenas made during the trial, Matthew Graves first caught the officer’s attention as he tried to cross Crater Lake Highway just after 8:45 p.m. Sept. 19. Cardenas said he had to slow his patrol car as Graves entered the street. The light was green for Cardenas and red for Graves, the officer told the grand jury. Graves jumped back onto the sidewalk. But when Cardenas put his foot on the gas pedal, Graves walked into the road again. Cardenas passed through the intersection, then made a U-turn to speak with Graves.

Cardenas called for backup and followed Graves. Cardenas got out of his patrol car when Graves reached the Carl’s Jr. He followed Graves into the restaurant and drew his gun. Body camera footage showed Cardenas nudging the bathroom door open with his flashlight. As Graves dried his hands with a paper towel, Cardenas holsterd his gun and pulled out a Taser, shouting at Graves to get down on the floor. “Let me see your (expletive) hands right now,” Cardenas shouted, according to the footage. "What the (expletive) are you doing?” The body camera footage showed Graves trying to get past Cardenas and Sgt. Clarence Davis, who had arrived as backup. The officers wrestled Graves to the ground. Davis testified that he saw Graves clutching what he thought was a gun, and alerted his partner, "He has a gun.'' Davis soon realized the gun that Matthew Graves had been clutching was the police Taser stun gun, not a handgun. Cardenas shot Graves twice in the back.

BREAKING NEWS! Tulsi Gabbard is suing Hillary Clinton for defamation after Clinton indicated she thinks the Hawaii congresswoman is a Russian plant in the 2020 presidential race. 'Rep. Gabbard must defend her good name,' her lawyer said in a statement on Wednesday. The complaint references Gabbard's military service in the Army National Guard, charges Clinton with hurting her presidential bid, and outlines her belief Clinton made the comments in retaliation for Gabbard endorsing Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic primary.

Donald Trump took another hit at Greta Thunberg during his second day at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland Wednesday, lamenting that the 17-year-old climate activist made the cover of Time Magazine at a younger age than he did. During a press conference Wednesday afternoon from Switzerland, a reporter brought up that Trump has previously said Thunberg needed to work on her 'anger.' 'I didn't say anger, I said anger management,' Trump corrected.

(WARNING: 21+) Vallejo Police Department Jan 22, 2020 Shooting Investigation - 500 Block Fairgrounds Drive
FINAL UPDATE
On Sunday, November 10,2019 at approximately 5:25 PM, Vallejo Police Officers responded to a report of a shooting in the 500 block of Fairgrounds Drive, in the City of Vallejo. Investigators from the Solano County District Attorney's Office and the Vallejo Police Department are conducting a joint Solano County Officer-Involved Fatal Incident Protocol investigation. The Solano County Coroner's Office has identified the deceased subject as Eric “Cheddaman” Reason, 38-year-old Vallejo resident. 🔫👮🏻‍♂️ #shooting

The preliminary investigation revealed Reason was driving away from the gas pumps located in the hopping complex, when off-duty Richmond Police Department Sergeant, Virgil Thomas, driving his personal vehicle, pulled into the parking lot of the shopping complex. The two vehicles momentarily stopped while facing one another and Sgt. Thomas honked his car horn to audibly warn the other driver of his immediate presence.

Sgt. Thomas then pulled his personal vehicle into one of the parking stalls and exited his vehicle. Reason then stopped his vehicle, perpendicular to the officer's vehicle, rolled down the window, and began yelling at Sgt. Thomas. Reason then exited his vehicle and walked within inches of Sgt. Thomas while directing profanities at him. Reason then walked back to his vehicle, opened the hood, and retrieved a rag containing a handgun. Reason armed himself with a
handgun and approached Sgt. Thomas a second time.

Sgt. Thomas subsequently drew his weapon and fired at Reason in response to an observed threat. Reason fled with the gun in his hand and at some point raised the gun. Sgt. Thomas believed that Reason still posed an immediate threat to the safety of Sgt. Thomas, his wife, who was a passenger in the vehicle, and other patrons of the shopping complex. Sgt. Thomas subsequently fired his weapon at Reason. Reason was pronounced deceased at the scene. The investigation will continue and the findings will be determined by the District Attorney's

Conflict between French President Macron and the Israeli police in Jerusalem today. #facepalm