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Nov 24, 2009 4:15 pm US/Pacific
DA: Shooting Of Farm Worker Was Justified
WOODLAND, Calif. (CBS13) ―
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The shooting on Gum Avenue in Woodland left Luis Navarro dead on April 30, 2009.
CBS
The Yolo County District Attorney has concluded that the fatal shooting of a farm worker by police in April was justified.
The California Attorney General's office
released a statement in support of the decision.
Farm worker Luis Gutierrez Navarro, 26, reportedly pulled a knife and attacked three Yolo County Sheriff's deputies on April 30, 2009, after a foot chase on an overpass on Gum Avenue.
Deputy Hernan Oviedo and Sgt. Dale Johnson shot and killed him to prevent harm to themselves, according to the
district attorney's 37-page report.
Navarro was killed by a single bullet that struck him near the right rear shoulder blade and exited through his left cheek, according to Yolo County Coroner Dr. G. Reiber. The steep upward angle of the path of the bullet is consistent with Navarro swinging a knife from right to left and exposing his back, according to the report.
"Essentially, the bullet moved through the body sideways," the report concludes.
Sgt. Johnson fired his weapon four times and Deputy Oviedo fired twice, according to analysis of their firearms and the casings found at the scene.
Navarro had enough methamphetamine in his system to potentially cause violent and erratic behavior, according to the report.
Yolo County Sheriff Ed Prieto hailed the report as vindication for his deputies. "In my opinion, it should be clear in everyone's mind that this shooting was justified," he said.
The FBI is continuing to conduct an independent investigation of the case at the request of the Yolo County District Attorney.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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