Home / Crime and Justice / Officers Acquitted in 2018 Air Rifle Shooting Death
Officers Acquitted in 2018 Air Rifle Shooting Death
17 Apr
Summary
- Charges against two Torrance officers were dismissed.
- A judge cited insufficient proof for voluntary manslaughter.
- The shooting involved a man with an air rifle in a stolen car.
Charges of voluntary manslaughter against former Torrance police officers Anthony Chavez and Matthew Concannon have been dismissed. The ruling came after a judge found insufficient evidence to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. The incident occurred on December 9, 2018, when officers responded to a stolen vehicle report.
Officers located 23-year-old Christopher DeAndre Mitchell inside a reported stolen Honda Civic in a supermarket parking lot. Mitchell was holding an air rifle. Prosecutors stated that officers blocked the vehicle, and during the confrontation, fired three shots, resulting in Mitchell's death.
The District Attorney's Office conducted a thorough review, concluding that they could not prove their case. District Attorney Nathan Hochman emphasized the split-second nature of the officers' decision, noting the need to prove imminent peril beyond a reasonable doubt, the highest legal standard.
