Contra Costa District Attorney finds fatal shooting of Discovery Bay man by deputies, officers justified

A Discovery Bay man shot to death by Contra Costa County sheriff’s deputies and Oakley police officers last year assumed a classic firing stance as he pointed what they thought to be a rifle barrel as he approached them, justifying their actions, according to a report released Wednesday by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.

District Attorney Diana Becton released the Law Enforcement Involved Fatal Incident report on the death of 51-year-old Robert Steven Jones, who was shot 10 times by the three sheriff’s deputies and two Oakley police officers on March 22, 2022. The fatal encounter happened after deputies yelled at Jones for more than 20 seconds as he advanced about 40 feet toward them, Becton wrote in the report.

Deputies had responded about 8:45 p.m. to the 8000 block of Westport Circle in Discovery Bay.

Those who fired were Contra Costa sheriff’s Sgt. Amanda Sears, Deputy Antonia Powell and Deputy Kevin Duke; and Oakley police Sgt. Kevin Morris and Officer Tyler Radcliffe.

Becton in the report wrote that the five “were justified in their use of lethal force. The officers acted with an actual and reasonable belief that deadly force was necessary to defend against an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury. As such, no further action will be taken at this time.”

According to the report, Jones first brandished a knife before picking up an Arrow Rifle, which authorities said can fire an arrow at a speed of 300 feet per second and cause death. The law enforcement officers thought Jones was holding a rifle, Becton wrote.

Two deputies initially entered the home after Jones’ wife told deputies that he had pushed her at the residence after he’d been drinking. When they entered, Jones pulled out the knife, and they pulled out their firearms, ordering him to drop it, Becton wrote.

Jones then grabbed the Arrow Rifle and told the deputies to “Get the [expletive] out of my house,” Becton wrote. The two deputies retreated into the front yard, where they radioed for backup and waited for additional officers.

With several officers surrounding the residence, Jones came out of the house and assumed a two-handed stance while pointing the Arrow Rifle at the officers as he walked toward them, Becton wrote.

Jones never dropped the weapon, and the five officers fired 17 rounds at Jones in a matter of seconds, hitting him 10 times, according to Contra Costa District Attorney Senior Inspector John Garcia.

At a coroner’s inquest into the shooting, Sears testified that “this man is going to shoot us. It’s not an if, it’s a when.” She added that she remembered “begging him, ‘Sir, please don’t make me shoot you. I don’t want to shoot you, put the gun down.”