San Bernardino settles lawsuit over 2022 police shooting

San Bernardino announced last week that it will pay $4 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from a 2022 officer involved shooting of Rob Marquise Adams.

“San Bernardino agreed to the settlement recognizing the costs and attorneys’ fees to take a federal civil rights case to trial, as well as the risks associated with a civil jury, given the current climate in the courts,” said attorney Steven Rothans, who represented the City on the case.

The agreement was reached February 17, 2024 following mediation between the City and representatives of the estate of Rob Adams with retired Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Dan Buckley.

On July 16, 2022, two officers from the San Bernardino Police Department drove into an alleyway near the 400 block of Highland Avenue in the City of San Bernardino to obtain information that could potentially lead to a search warrant on a location known for illegal gambling activity.

As the two officers proceeded in their unmarked police unit into the alley, a male African American (later identified as Rob Marquise Adams) who matched the description of the individual that officers had received information about lifted his t-shirt revealing a firearm to the officers.  The officers quickly exited their unmarked vehicle in uniforms, identified themselves as police officers, and commanded the male subject to “freeze.”

The individual did not freeze, but with a firearm in his right hand began to run from the officers in between two parked vehicles.  Believing that the subject was trying to find cover and ambush the officers, one of the officers fired six rounds at the suspect as the suspect began to turn to look back over his left shoulder. A firearm was recovered at the scene and subsequently tested positive for the subject’s DNA.

The $4 million total includes all payments to the plaintiffs and fees to their attorneys, Ben Crump and Brad Gage, as well as additional costs, expert witnesses, etc.