FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: July 17, 2020
MEDIA CONTACT: Christina L. Lee, Communications and Public Information Officer, City Managers Office
City of Vallejo Calls on District Attorney
to Complete Investigations
VALLEJO, CA – Interim Attorney for the City of Vallejo Randy Risner has sent a letter to Solano County District Attorney (DA) Krishna Abrams requesting that she fulfill her legal obligations to complete reviews of the officer-involved shootings involving Willie McCoy and Sean Monterrosa.

The request comes in the wake of the City receiving a reply from California Attorney General (AG) Xavier Becerra indicating he will not review the incidents and that he believes the DA is the appropriate and obligated authority.

“We owe it to our community to see a fair and independent review completed,” said Vallejo City Manager Greg Nyhoff. “A thorough investigation must be done immediately, accurately, and without prejudice so we can move forward as a community. Investigating officer-involved shootings is the obligation of the District Attorney, and the City will pursue all necessary steps to ensure that the DA delivers on her responsibilities. Vallejo will not sit idly by and wait for these cases to be reviewed.”

According to the Solano County Fatal-Incident Protocol, there are two investigations to be completed with each officer-involved shooting: the Vallejo Police Department typically conducts an Internal Affairs investigation and the Solano County District Attorney’s Office typically conducts a criminal investigation. In the case of the June 2, 2020 Officer-Involved shooting, Vallejo Police Chief, Shawny Williams has requested that the OIR Group conduct an additional third-party administrative investigation, and that investigation has since begun. On July 2, 2020, District Attorney Abrams published a video statement announcing that she was recusing herself and her office from the criminal investigation of the officer-involved McCoy and Monterossa shootings involving the Vallejo Police Department.

The Vallejo City Council formally requested the California Attorney General conduct a criminal investigation into the June 2, 2020 incident resulting in the death of Sean Monterossa. Attorney General Becerra denied that request in a letter received by the City on July 15, 2020. 

Attorney General Becerra notes in his letter to the city: “As we have informed the District Attorney’s Office, there is no legal basis for it to recuse itself. It is absolutely critical that the shootings of Mr. McCoy and Mr. Monterossa receive thorough, fair and objective evaluations by the prosecuting authority charged with carrying out the duty. The elected District Attorney in Solano County is that authority.”

In the list below, please click to view correspondence between the Attorney General’s Office, the District Attorney’s Office and the City of Vallejo regarding the investigatory obligation.  






For additional information regarding the Vallejo Police Department and Critical Incident Updates, please visit the Vallejo Police Department Public Information webpage.

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