The District Attorney has concluded that BART cop James Crowell was defending himself when he shot and killed 45-year-old Charles Hill, a knife-wielding homeless man who was high on alcohol and a deadly amount of meth that night at the Civic Center BART station.
After a seven-month investigation, District Attorney George Gascón decided that Crowell acted appropriately and was in fear of his life when he shot Hill on July 3, 2011. In fact, investigators praised Crowell for acting in a calm and professional manner, according to the DA's report.
The report, released yesterday to media outlets, gives the public a first-time glimpse of what motivated the shooting. As Crowell explains, Hill was on the platform waving and spilling a bottle of Smirnoff vodka. When the officer asked Hill to "come back over here" Hill threw the bottle at officers, according to the report.
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