Elderly Black man shot, killed by PD was former police employee

Victim allegedly confronted officers with a handgun

The West Sacramento Police Department identified the Black man who was shot and killed by police on Saturday morning as an 88-year-old former employee with the department.

The Yolo County Coroner’s Office identified the man who was shot near the 1800 block of West Capitol Avenue as West Sacramento resident Robert Coleman.

West Sacramento police confirmed that pursuant to the Yolo County Officer Involved Fatal Incident Protocol,

the Davis Police Department will be conducting a shooting investigation. The four officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave.

In a statement made via their Facebook page, police said Coleman was a member of the department for almost 10 years. He began his career with the city in the late 1990s as a code enforcement officer, then as a parking enforcement officer and finally, as a volunteer in policing until 2004.

“According to Mr. Coleman’s family, he had recently been struggling with mental illness and had expressed suicidal ideations,” police stated. “Mr. Coleman’s condition, although relevant, will not impact the investigative efforts to scrutinize the actions of the involved officers.”

Police were dispatched to West Capitol Avenue around 3 a.m. on Saturday after receiving reports of an armed suspect in the area, according to a statement made by the department Saturday morning.

Police said a man, who was later identified as Coleman, walked out of a vehicle stationed behind police near Merkley and Poplar avenues with a handgun and “a shooting ensued.” The type of handgun being carried by Coleman was not identified. It was also not stated whether Coleman actually did shoot at officers.

Officers requested emergency medical personnel to the scene who performed “life-saving measures,” but shortly after paramedics arrived, Coleman was pronounced dead. No other injuries, to officers or bystanders, were reported.

Police confirmed via the department’s Facebook page Sunday that all officers were wearing body cameras that were activated and recording at the time of the shooting. The footage is being reviewed as part of Davis police’s investigation and “will be released within the timeframe required by law.”

AB748 requires the release of recordings from body-worn cameras within 45 days of an incident. Prior to the passage of the bill, California did not have a consistent policy regarding the timeline for release of body cam footage.