Stephon Clark

People

Stephon Clark

On March 18, 2018, Stephon Clark, a 22-year-old unarmed Black man, was shot and killed by two Sacramento police officers in the backyard of his grandmother's house. Officers Terrence Mercadal and Jared Robinet had responded to a 911 call about someone breaking car windows in the neighborhood. A police helicopter spotted Clark and directed officers to his location. After a brief foot pursuit, Clark ran into his grandmother's backyard, where officers confronted him. Believing he was holding a gun, officers fired 20 rounds at Clark. He was struck eight times, primarily in his back. The object in Clark's hand was an iPhone. Clark's death sparked massive protests in Sacramento, with demonstrators blocking traffic and disrupting a Sacramento Kings basketball game. His brother Stevante Clark interrupted a Sacramento City Council meeting, demanding accountability. The case drew national attention to police use of force against unarmed Black men and the split-second decisions that often prove fatal. On March 2, 2019, Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert announced that the officers would not face criminal charges, stating they had probable cause to stop Clark and were legally justified in using deadly force. Federal authorities also declined to file civil rights charges. In September 2019, California adopted a new law restricting police use of deadly force to situations where it is "necessary in defense of human life," one of the most significant police reform measures in the state's history.