Graphic new video released in fatal San Francisco police shooting of Mario Woods
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Graphic new video was released Friday of a fatal police shooting in San Francisco and the family is filing a wrongful death lawsuit.
The release of the video coincided with a demonstration involving 100 students who took to the streets of San Francisco to protest police brutality.
The family of the Bayview man fatally shot by police last week has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit. Mario Woods, 26, was shot by officers who say he was wielding a knife in a threatening manner, but attorney John Burris says otherwise.
"This was all the indications of a murder," Burris said.
PHOTOS: Demonstrators protest Mario Woods fatal shooting in SF
Burris announced at a news conference he filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of Mario Woods' family. Sitting at the front were Woods' brothers and their mother Gwen, who said her son was getting his life back together after a troubled past.
"He was the best of me and he redeemed himself," Gwen Woods said.
Two cellphone videos surfaced shortly after the shooting last week. Burris released a third video Friday, which he says shows that the 26-year-old was shot by officers without provocation.
"You do not see him lunge at the officers, run at the officers with anything in his hand," Burris said.
The attorneys showed a series of freeze frames from the video to illustrate their point.
"Mario Woods hand being raised is a reaction to him being shot and him actually falling to the ground," said Adante Pointer.
During his town hall meeting after the shooting, San Francisco police Chief Greg Suhr had his own display of freeze frames, which he says reveals that Woods may have raised his right arm with the knife before he was shot. And that the officer stepped back first before he fired.
VIDEO: Protesters sound off at police commission meeting over SFPD shooting
Suhr said he could not comment on Burris' allegations because of the lawsuit. But Burris said that the chief came to his conclusions too soon before an investigation was even started.
"I'm sort of insulted by the Chief's comments that he would make, a comment to justify and support the police officers' conduct so quickly," Burris said.
Burris says he'll file a wrongful death lawsuit in state court later.
Meanwhile, San Francisco police have released the names of the five officers involved in the fatal shooting of Woods. Those officers are: Charles August, Nicholas Cuevas, Scott Phillips, Antonio Santos and Winson Seto.
All of these officers are on administrative leave, which is routine in this kind of case. Police say there are three investigations into this shooting.
Here is Hernandez's full video of the San Francisco police shooting of Mario Woods that happened on Dec. 2, 2015. Warning: This video contains graphic content and strong language
Hundreds of students from several schools walked off campus to protest the police shooting. They tried entering City Hall, but deputies blocked them, so the students made their voices heard on the steps.
"It's not right what's happening. I'm scared because I have nephews and nieces that could be endangered too," said Diana Rodriguez, a student at John O'Connell High School.
Sky7 HD followed students as they marched down Market Street. They blocked traffic and interrupted cable car service. They also held a demonstration near Union Square, creating gridlock in that area as well. The protest lasted about four hours.
VIDEO: Suspect killed in officer-involved shooting in San Francisco's Bayview District
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