More than 40 San Jose residents are demanding transparency from San Jose police after an officer shot 20-year-old Contra Costa College student K'aun Green at a downtown taqueria.
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Green, a Bay Area football player, was shot four times by police after a fight broke out at La Victoria Taqueria in the early hours of March 27. According to witnesses, Green was attempting to diffuse the situation by disarming a man with a gun and backing out of the restaurant when police shot him in the abdomen, leg and twice in the arm.
"They shot a man who disarmed and de-escalated the situation — something that the police should be doing themselves. A badge does not shield police officers from accountability," said Lana Gomez, a community organizer with Youth Impact Partnership and Justice for Gregory Johnson.
In a press conference, San Jose police confirmed that Green had wrestled the gun away from its owner during a brawl inside the restaurant. They stated that officers had believed they were walking into an active shooter situation. However, residents are claiming the news conference was misleading and calling on the department to release unedited body-camera footage from the officer who shot Green.
"It is beyond disturbing that police shot an innocent man within seconds of entering La Vics without knowing or understanding the situation at hand," Gomez added.
Residents are also calling on city leaders to create a fund to support Green’s recovery.
The officer who shot Green is a four-year veteran who was placed on administrative leave while the department and Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office investigate the shooting.
Citing pending litigation, the San Jose Police Department declined KCBS Radio's request for comment.
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