San Jose police release new video of K’aun Green’s murder

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) — San Jose police released dramatic new video on Tuesday of the moment college football star K’aun Green was shot by an officer in a case of mistaken identity.
San Jose Police Department officer Mark McNamara shot Green on March 27 after a chaotic fight broke out at a popular taqueria, La Victoria restaurant, and Green snatched a gun from an assailant .
Green was walking out the front door of the taqueria still holding the gun when officers arrived at the same time.
Officer McNamara thought Green might be a homicide suspect and officers ordered him to “drop the fucking gun” multiple times.
Seconds after officers arrived at La Victoria, McNamara fired four shots at Green.
A fatal shooting had coincidentally just occurred less than a block away on Fourth Street.
Green recovered in a hospital and he filed a lawsuit against McNamara.
According to Green’s attorneys, the officer did not give Green the opportunity to drop the gun before the officer opened fire.
“K’aun Green is a hero. He saved his life and the lives of everyone else in that restaurant. Unfortunately, the police reacted badly and overreacted to the mere sight of a black man holding a gun,” attorney Adanté Pointer wrote.
Surveillance cameras inside La Victoria recorded the scuffle and officers’ body cameras recorded Green’s encounter with police.
Police posted a video on Tuesday showing multiple angles. (WARNING: Video graphics and language).
In March, Green was recruited by universities with Division 1 football teams with scholarship offers. Green was a three-time high school state football championship quarterback and current student-athlete at Contra Costa College.
“Everyone is amazed, basically, because he’s been an exceptional youngster on our campus and in our program,” said Contra Costa College athletic director John Wade.
Officer McNamara remains on administrative leave while the SJPD and the Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office investigate whether his use of force was justified and consistent with department policies.
During a March 29 press conference, Police Chief Anthony Mata gave the following description of what happened before and during the shooting involving an officer:
- The homicide occurred at 2:43 a.m. on South Fourth Street near San Carlos Street. Officers found a man with gunshot wounds and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The killer fled on foot with the gun and was likely still in the area.
- Officers responding to La Victoria believed the scuffle was linked to a homicide that had occurred just 30 minutes earlier, 200 feet away on San Carlos Street, Mata said.
- “(La Victoria restaurant) was packed with customers late at night. Two groups got involved in a verbal argument that escalated into a physical fight,” Mata said.
- During the fight, a (man) pulled out a handgun and brandished it at another man. Seeing the weapon, all occupants and employees started running out of the restaurant and screaming. A fight for the weapon ensues. The handgun changes ownership more than once,” Mata said.
- “An officer believes an active shooter scenario is occurring or about to occur. A team of officers approached the restaurant on foot as the fight continued. The fight moved out of the front door and on the landing, where an individual was holding the handgun. Officers gave repeated orders to drop the gun. However, (Green) did not drop his gun and an officer fired more than once,” Mata said.