California Department of Justice Releases Report on Officer-Involved Shooting of Noe Rodriguez Martinez

OAKLAND - California Attorney General Rob Bonta, pursuant to Assembly Bill 1506 (AB 1506), today released a report on the death of Noe Rodriguez Martinez from an officer-involved shooting in Santa Ana, California on December 1, 2024. The incident involved officers from the Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD). The report is part of the California Department of Justice's (DOJ) ongoing efforts to provide transparency and accountability in law enforcement practices. The report provides a detailed analysis of the incident and outlines DOJ's findings. After a thorough investigation, DOJ concluded that criminal charges were not appropriate in this case.

"We hope this report provides a measure of closure for the community, law enforcement, and the family of Mr. Martinez. AB 1506 is a critical transparency and accountability tool, and our hope for this report is to provide some understanding and aid in advancing towards a safer California for all," saidAttorney General Bonta. "Together, we aim to foster a system that not only protects the rights of individuals but also promotes trust and accountability between law enforcement and our communities."

On December 1, 2024, SAPD responded to a call of an adult male walking in downtown Santa Ana carrying what appeared to be a shotgun. Officers contacted Mr. Martinez and asked him repeatedly to drop the shotgun. Mr. Martinez repeatedly failed to comply with officers' requests and instead, removed one hand from the shotgun and appeared to start leveling it. As a result, the officers fatally shot Mr. Martinez. The gun was recovered near Mr. Martinez's body and was later determined to be a replica pump-action shotgun.

Under AB 1506, which requires DOJ to investigate all incidents of officer-involved shootings resulting in the death of an unarmed civilian in the state, DOJ conducted a thorough investigation into this incident and concluded that there is insufficient evidence to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officers involved acted without the intent to defend themselves and others from what they reasonably believed to be the imminent risk of death or serious bodily injury. Therefore, there is insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution of the officers, and no further action will be taken in this case.

As part of its investigation, DOJ has identified three recommendations related to this incident. The first is that SAPD evaluate its firearms training, including on officer awareness of backdrop, to determine whether modifications to its training curriculum are needed to ensure officers are adequately trained on how to minimize potential risks to bystanders. The second recommendation is that SAPD provide training on the continued use of force on persons who appear to have been rendered unconscious or incapacitated by bullets, particularly the use of less lethal launchers on such persons. The third recommendation is that SAPD evaluate its training on the duty to render medical aid to injured persons and develop any additional training necessary to provide officers specific guidance on how to determine when officers can more promptly provide medical care when reasonable and safe to do so following a use of force incident with an armed individual.