Baseball Bat-Wielding Man Fatally Shot By San Leandro Police Saturday Identified
SAN LEANDRO (CBS SF) -- A man who was fatally shot by a police officer after he allegedly was wielding a baseball bat inside a Walmart store in San Leandro on Saturday afternoon has been identified by the Alameda County coroner's bureau as 33-year-old Steven Demarco Taylor.
San Leandro police said they were called to the Walmart store at 15555 Hesperian Blvd. at 3:12 p.m. Saturday to investigate a report that a man was brandishing a baseball bat inside.
Officers found the suspect, later identified as Taylor, who had no permanent address, standing near the shopping cart storage bay just inside the doors, holding a baseball bat. They told Taylor to pub the bat down but he refused, according to police.
Taylor walked toward the officers and one officer discharged his Taser stun gun at him, but he kept coming toward the officers, police said.
An officer then shot Taylor in the upper torso and a second officer then Tased him, according to police.
A video posted on social media shows Taylor walking a few steps after being shot, dropping the bat and collapsing on the floor.
The officers who were involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave and the Alameda County District Attorney's Office is conducting an independent investigation of the shooting.
The Anti-Police Terror Project alleged in a news release that, "The officer who killed Mr. Taylor, the only person close to him at the time, had a number of choices in the moments leading to Taylor's death."
The group said, "It is abundantly clear in the multiple videos that the officer did not see Steven Taylor's humanity. Because if the officer had seen Steven Taylor as a human being, Mar. Taylor would still be here today. He did not need to die."
The Anti-Police Terror Project further alleged, "There is no interpretation of the video that we have seen that could be interpreted to consider this officer's actions necessary. They were objectively unnecessary. And thus outside the law."
San Leandro police Chief Jeff Tudor said in a video message posted on Facebook on Sunday, "I know this is a difficult time and our community is hurting right now. Protecting the sanctity of human life is extremely important and there are a lot of questions and concerns about yesterday's officer-involved shooting."
He said, "I would like to dispel some rumors that are circulating on social media. Our officer discharged his service weapon one time, striking the suspect in the front of his upper body."
Tudor said, "It is still early in this investigation, and we will provide more information in the near future and as it becomes available so we can be as transparent as possible."
The chief told community members, "Your patience is needed. Thank you."
