UPDATE: Indictments Returned Against San Francisco Cop And Suspect He Shot In Officer-Involved Shooting
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A grand jury has returned indictments against both a San Francisco police officer and the man he shot during an incident in the Mission District last year, the San Francisco District Attorney's Office announced Monday.
The office of District Attorney Chesea Boudin issued a press release Monday confirming that last Friday, December 4, 2020, indictments were returned against SFPD Officer Christopher Flores and Jamaica Hampton in connection with an officer-involved shooting incident that happened exactly a year ago on December 7, 2019.
The indictments stem from a Dec. 7 burglary call, which resulted in an altercation between two police officers and Hampton near Mission and 23rd streets in the city's Mission District.
During the confrontation, Flores and a second officer shot Hampton, who was allegedly armed with a glass bottle, three times. The shooting was captured on the officers' body-worn cameras.
Hampton suffered critical injuries in the shooting and had to get his leg amputated as a result.
"Although the court set bail, the District Attorney's Office asked for only nominal bail and is not requesting pretrial detention against either defendant," the press release read. "District Attorney Boudin makes this statement to encourage Officer Flores and Mr. Hampton to voluntarily surrender."
Ten days after the incident, San Francisco police held a town hall to discuss the incident and release body-camera footage from the officers involved.
Police said that as officers tried to contact Hampton, he "aggressively advanced" toward the passenger side officer armed with a 200ml glass vodka bottle, police said. Hampton then repeatedly struck the driver's side officer in the head and face with the bottle after he rushed out to help. The officer sustained lacerations to his cheek and head and was knocked down after attempting to use his baton.
The injured officer ran toward 23rd Street and Hampton chased him, police said. The other officer stopped the chase by drawing his firearm. Both officers had their guns drawn and verbally commanded Hampton to get on the ground, but he turned and ran away.
A month after the incident, the San Francisco Police Officers Association called for federal intervention to prosecute Hampton after the San Francisco District Attorney's Office declined to file charges against him.
The indictment against Flores becomes the second case against a San Francisco police officer involved in a shooting to surface in recent weeks.
Two weeks ago, Boudin announced his office filed manslaughter charges against former Police Officer Christopher Samoyoa, who fatally shot unarmed Keita O'Neal, 42, in the city's Bayview District in 2017.
The District Attorney's Office said it would provide more information as soon as the defendants have surrendered and arraignments have been scheduled.
