California confirms no charges for police who killed unarmed man

California's top prosecutor confirmed Tuesday that no charges would be filed in a high-profile case in which police shot dead an unarmed black man who had been holding a cell phone.

Attorney General Xavier Becerra said the two officers involved in the March 2018 incident that made national headlines acted lawfully when they each fired 10 shots at Stephon Clark after he was chased into his grandmother's backyard.

Becerra's independent report into the killing is in line with Sacramento District Attorney Marie Schubert's findings that no charges were warranted in the case.

Schubert's decision at the weekend prompted protests in Sacramento -- where the killing took place -- with 84 people arrested late Monday, including college students, several reporters and a pastor who has played a prominent role in demanding accountability in the case.

"This loss of life is a tragedy, and it is the kind of tragedy we have endured far too many times across our state and nation," Becerra told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday.

"After extensively reviewing the record, we found that the evidence did not support filing criminal charges against the officers involved in the shooting."
US Attorney McGregor W. Scott and Sean Ragan, the FBI agent in charge of the case, said in a statement they would work with the Justice Department to examine whether the shooting "involved violations of Mr. Clark's federal civil rights."