The Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office has ruled that Santa Rosa Police Officer Sean Keaney was justified in using deadly force during a fatal shooting last summer.
The decision follows a review of the August 14th standoff on Keegan Drive, where 20-year-old Matteo Ramirez-Santos had barricaded himself following a domestic violence report.
After hours of failed negotiations and the deployment of chemical agents, investigators say Ramirez-Santos emerged from the home armed with a handgun and charged toward officers. Body-worn camera footage and witness accounts confirmed that Ramirez-Santos pointed a firearm and fired a shot before Keaney returned fire. The District Attorney concluded that the officer acted reasonably to protect himself and his colleagues from an imminent threat.
Chief John Cregan expressed sympathy for the families involved while maintaining that officers were forced to intervene to save lives.
