In September 2022, a teenage girl from California was abducted by her father. Recently disclosed footage reveals that, despite initial claims by authorities that she was clad in combat gear, the young girl was not wearing any such attire when she was tragically killed by deputy officers as she complied with their instructions.

On March 29, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in California released video and audio recordings of the 2022 fatal police shooting of Savannah Graziano, a 15-year-old girl, in Hesperia, California.

The ordeal began on September 26, 2022, with the murder of Savannah’s mother by her father, Anthony Graziano, 45, in Fontana, San Bernardino County, and his subsequent abduction of Savannah. The search for the teen led to a fatal confrontation two days later.

The sequence of events escalated after a tipster identified Graziano’s pickup truck, leading police on a high-speed chase down Interstate 15 to Hesperia, a desert city. Graziano reportedly fired at pursuing officers, injuring a deputy with shrapnel, while it was initially reported that shots were also fired from the passenger side, where Savannah was seated. 

As the chase concluded, officers surrounded the vehicle. Dramatic footage from a sheriff’s office helicopter captured the moments when Savannah exited the truck and lay on the road, complying with deputies’ commands to exit the vehicle and approach them. However, deputies opened fire on Savannah as she walked towards them, following their instructions. The gunfire ceased only after a deputy realized the mistake, but it was too late for Savannah, who was rushed to a hospital where she was later pronounced dead. Anthony Graziano also died in the shootout.

In the aftermath, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus requested an investigation by the state Attorney General’s Office, as per Assembly Bill 1506, which mandates state investigation into police shootings resulting in the death of unarmed civilians. 

The incident has sparked a debate on law enforcement protocols and the tragic irony of a rescue operation turning deadly.

Savannah Graziano was remembered in her obituary as a home-schooled teenager who enjoyed outdoor activities, video games, and spending time with her family and dog. Her death has prompted discussions on the need for improved police training and tactics, especially in situations involving potential victims of crimes.

The California Attorney General’s Office took over the investigation, aiming to ascertain whether the deputies involved violated any policies or committed any crimes in their use of force. The process has been hindered by delays due to a backlog at the Department of Justice and a ransomware attack on the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, complicating evidence sharing.