A former San Diego Sheriff’s Deputy has been charged with a civil rights violation for shooting and killing an unarmed man, the Department of Justice announced. The former deputy, Aaron Russell, was indicted by a federal grand jury in San Diego on two counts related to the fatal shooting of Nicholas Bils on May 1, 2020.
According to the indictment, Russell discharged his weapon at Bils, striking him in the back as he ran away from law enforcement officers without a weapon on his person. The charges also claim that Russell, who was acting in his capacity as a deputy at the time, did not provide a warning to Bils or the fellow officers present before opening fire. The other officers did not fire or draw their weapons during the incident.
If found guilty, Russell faces the possibility of life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will later determine his sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Seth Askins of the Southern District of California, alongside Trial Attorney Lia Rettammel and Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer of the Department’s Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
This legal move marks another instance in the ongoing scrutiny of law enforcement's use of force nationwide. "An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law," authorities echoed. The charges were announced jointly by Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath for the Southern District of California, and Stacey Moy, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Diego Field Office.
For further details on the indictment, members of the public can refer to the Justice Department's official press release.
