Fontana, California – Newly released law enforcement footage has shed light on the tragic death of Savannah Graziano, a 15-year-old girl who was fatally shot by California police on September 27, 2022. Graziano, who was reported as a kidnapping victim, was unarmed at the time of the incident.
Authorities in San Bernardino county were actively searching for Graziano after receiving reports that she had been abducted by her father, Anthony Graziano. The situation escalated when Anthony Graziano shot and killed Graziano’s mother just one day prior to the fatal shooting involving police.
Deputies cornered Anthony’s car on the side of a freeway in Hesperia, 80 miles east of Los Angeles. When Graziano emerged from the vehicle, law enforcement officers opened fire, resulting in her tragic death and sparking widespread outrage across the nation.
The sheriff’s department initially withheld the footage of the incident for two years, claiming uncertainty about whether the fatal shot that killed Graziano came from her father or the deputies. Additionally, they stated that deputies failed to recognize Graziano as she exited the car.
Subsequent investigations revealed that several video clips, including helicopter footage, were released to independent journalist Joey Scott. Based on the footage reviewed by The Guardian, deputies shot Graziano as she followed their instructions and moved toward them. The videos also indicated that the deputies were aware it was Graziano before firing the fatal shots.
Graziano’s tragic death occurred amidst a high-speed chase following the fatal shooting of her mother by her father, Anthony Graziano. The incident also involved gunfire directed at deputies and motorists from Anthony Graziano’s vehicle, leading to a complex and tragic series of events with conflicting reports about who initiated the gunfire.
Despite wearing tactical gear and being unarmed, Graziano was fatally shot by deputies as she exited the vehicle. The released audio from the incident captured deputies instructing her to come toward them, with conflicting viewpoints leading to the fatal shots being fired.
After being rushed to a local hospital, Graziano was declared dead, while her father, Anthony, died at the scene during the shootout. The investigation into the incident is currently being handled by the California Department of Justice as questions surrounding the events leading to Graziano’s death continue to arise.