Rob Marquise Adams, 23, of San Bernardino, died after being shot and then taken to a hospital on Saturday night, July 16. Adams’ family says the shooting was unprovoked and that he simply got scared and ran away. In the video released by San Bernardino Police Chief Darren Goodman on Tuesday, he says officers shot Adams because he did not comply with their commands and continued to hold the gun as he tried to fall between two parked cars. They were afraid he was going to sneak up and shoot them while bystanders were nearby. “Officers briefly chased Adams. But seeing he had no way out, they believed he intended to use the vehicle as cover to shoot at them,” Goodman said in the video. “The officers saw Adams looking over his left shoulder, the gun still in his right hand. Fearing that the lives of bystanders or the officers were in danger, one of the officers fired his weapon, striking Adams.” Civil rights attorney Ben Crump and attorney Brad Gage are now representing Adams’ family and are expected to speak about the case at a news conference Wednesday. They issued a statement ahead of the release of the dashcam footage on Tuesday: “It’s unbelievable that another Black family has to bury their child because the police shot first and asked questions later. Robert was seen just walking around the parking lot when the policemen got out of their unmarked vehicle firing their guns at him immediately. Robert never had a chance to explain himself.” RELATED: Video raises questions about deadly San Bernardino shooting The incident began just after 8pm on West Highland Street. In the video, an unmarked car pulls into the parking lot of a business, which allegedly houses an illegal gambling operation. Adams is seen approaching the vehicle and grabbing his seat belt. From the angle of a different video, he is seen holding a gun in his right hand. Although audio of the initial encounter was not recorded, police say when officers exited the vehicle, they gave him commands to comply and he ignored them. As the two uniformed men exit the unmarked vehicle, Adams is seen running between two cars parked against the wall of the building. A policeman opens fire several times hitting him. Dash cam video shows officers then approach Adams and offer medical aid, with an audio recording of an officer reassuring him, “Hey bro, you’re gonna be okay, buddy. Hey, hey, you’re gonna be okay. Stick together My, is that OK?” The police then take him to an ambulance. He was taken to a local hospital and died there. Goodman said the public needs to learn more about the incident before passing judgment. The video released online, he said, “does not provide critical details or context as to what actually happened during the incident.” The location, he said, has a history of criminal activity. Adams is believed to be a suspect in a previous armed robbery at the location, in which he allegedly held several people at gunpoint and was in possession of several firearms. Goodman said Adams had an “extensive criminal history” and was on felony probation for armed robbery. He also had felony warrants for assault with a deadly weapon, possession of stolen property and robbery and a prior arrest and conviction for robbery. Copyright © 2022 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.
