San Francisco police identify officer who shot Sean Moore

Bay City News
Saturday, January 14, 2017

SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Police Department has identified the officer who shot a mentally ill man during a physical struggle last week in the city's Oceanview neighborhood as Officer Kenneth Cha.

Cha shot and injured 40-year-old Sean Moore after officers were dispatched to the 500 block of Capitol Avenue around 4 a.m. Jan. 6.

Police say that Moore was combative, and apparently banging on a wall inside his home that was shared by a neighbor. Moore is also subject to a restraining order requested by that neighbor, according to police.

During the altercation that followed, Moore allegedly kicked an officer in the face, retreated back into the house, then came back out and punched an officer in the face. He then advanced toward Cha, who shot Moore twice.

Officers said that before the shooting they used pepper spray and batons, but were unable to subdue Moore with less lethal weapons.

That shooting was the subject of a crowded and occasionally heated town hall meeting Thursday night during which Moore's friends and family members, along with local advocacy organizations including the Anti Police-Terror Project, called the shooting "unnecessary" and blamed the officers for escalating the situation.

Officers at the scene were wearing body cameras, and advocates have called on the Police Department to release that video.