The family of Sean Monterrosa, a San Francisco man shot and killed by Vallejo Police Officer Jarrett Tonn, is calling for his termination following a decision to reinstate him, as reported by CBS News San Francisco. Monterrosa was shot during protests and looting that coincided with the George Floyd protests on June 2, 2020. Tonn's attorney has argued that Monterrosa was an "imminent threat" at the time of the shooting.
The reinstatement comes after Tonn was initially fired when use-of-force experts hired by the city found he violated department policies. However, Tonn's attorney Joshua Olander stated that this decision was reversed after a neutral hearing officer deemed the experts' findings as improper hindsight analysis, a practice prohibited by California law.
Despite the California Attorney General's report indicating insufficient evidence for criminal charges against Tonn, the family remains steadfast in their quest for accountability. "This city has allowed for unarmed civilians, Black and Brown men, to be killed inhumanely," Michelle Monterrosa, Sean's sister, told CBS News San Francisco. She further vowed, "This city wants me and Ashley to fold and give up. Expect the chair to fold. Never us."
Civil rights attorney Lee Merritt, involved in the case, has promised surveillance of Tonn during his police duties. "I'm hoping other people in this community will join me to pay people hourly to identify the communities he's policing and to police the community from him as well as to keep tabs on Mr. Tonn himself. He will get no peace in this city," Merritt said. According to CBS News San Francisco, a $10,000 fund is already set up to support these efforts.
Additionally, California Attorney General Rob Bonta emphasized the gravity of Monterrosa's death and the importance of policy reform in preventing future tragedies. "Sean Monterrosa’s life mattered, and there is nothing that can make up for his death," Bonta stated in a press release by the California Department of Justice. The DOJ has since been working on instigating reforms in the Vallejo Police Department procedures and policies, aiming to build trust through transparency and improved police practices.
The Monterrosa family is also pursuing a civil lawsuit and organizing a rally at the upcoming Vallejo City Council meeting on September 12, signaling a continued fight for justice in their community and beyond.
