No Charges in California Freeway Shootout Deaths \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Friday that no criminal charges will be filed against San Bernardino County deputies involved in a 2022 shootout that killed 15-year-old Savannah Graziano and her father, Anthony Graziano. A state investigation concluded that deputies reasonably believed both posed an imminent threat. The tragic encounter followed a violent domestic incident and a 41-mile pursuit.
California Freeway Shootout – Quick Looks
- Deputies cleared in fatal 2022 shootout in San Bernardino
- 15-year-old Savannah Graziano and father killed during pursuit
- State report: Use of lethal force deemed reasonable
- 41-mile chase followed father’s killing of estranged wife
- Teen exited vehicle in tactical gear before being shot
- 21 deputies opened fire after shots fired from vehicle
- Autopsy: father had meth, morphine, hydrocodone in system
- No drugs or alcohol found in teen’s system
- Gunshot residue on both; inconclusive who fired weapons
- DOJ recommends improvements to training and body camera use
- AG Bonta calls the case “tragic” and complex
Deep Look
More than 18 months after a deadly freeway shootout in California that killed 15-year-old Savannah Graziano and her fugitive father, Anthony Graziano, the California Department of Justice has concluded its investigation, determining that no criminal charges will be filed against the San Bernardino County deputies involved.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the decision on Friday, releasing a detailed report into the incident, which stemmed from a violent domestic homicide, an Amber Alert, and a high-speed pursuit that ended in tragedy. The case had drawn widespread attention due to the involvement of a minor and the questions surrounding the law enforcement response.
“This report was quite difficult to publish, and I sincerely hope it provides the community with the answers they’ve been waiting for,” Bonta said, describing the situation as “a tragedy with a tragic outcome.”
The Incident: From Domestic Violence to Deadly Pursuit
According to the DOJ report, Anthony Graziano, 45, fatally shot his estranged wife, Tracy Martinez, on September 26, 2022, while their daughter was in the truck. Graziano then fled with Savannah, prompting an Amber Alert and a multi-county law enforcement search.
The following day, deputies located Graziano’s pickup truck and initiated a 41-mile chase along Interstate 15, during which multiple rounds were fired from the truck’s rear and passenger-side windows. One deputy sustained gunshot wounds to his arms and fingers. Dashcam footage and helicopter video later released under public records laws show an intense and chaotic scene, with gunfire exchanged between law enforcement and the suspect vehicle.
The pursuit ended when Graziano veered off the highway and stopped on an embankment. According to the report, Savannah exited the truck wearing a tactical vest and helmet, crouched on the ground, and then moved toward deputies as one called out to her. As she raised her right hand, gunfire erupted from nearby deputies who had not seen the initial attempt at communication. She was fatally wounded.
Forensics and Autopsy Findings
Inside the truck, investigators recovered 65 spent shell casings and four firearms. Graziano was found dead in the driver’s seat from a gunshot wound to the head, with additional wounds to his back, leg, and shoulder. Toxicology tests revealed methamphetamine, amphetamine, morphine, and hydrocodone in his system.
In contrast, no drugs or alcohol were found in Savannah’s body. However, gunshot residue was detected on both of their hands. The DOJ noted that while this residue could suggest firearm use, it could also result from proximity to gunfire or handling a firearm—leaving no definitive conclusion on whether Savannah fired any shots.
Investigators reconstructed possible firing positions inside the truck. They found it would have been difficult for the driver (Anthony Graziano) to fire one of the rifles while simultaneously operating the vehicle, suggesting the possibility that someone else inside may have fired. However, the report stops short of confirming that Savannah discharged a weapon.
Family members told investigators that Savannah had received firearms training from her father, and that the two had developed a close bond, especially after the deterioration of her parents’ marriage. She had reportedly been living with him in the truck and was emotionally impacted by the divorce.
Legal Conclusion and Policy Changes
The DOJ concluded that the 21 deputies who opened fire acted under the belief that both Graziano and his daughter posed an imminent and deadly threat, citing Savannah’s tactical gear, proximity to gunfire, and the chaotic nature of the scene. Prosecutors found “the use of deadly force was reasonable under the circumstances.”
Attorney General Bonta emphasized the tragedy but upheld the deputies’ actions, reiterating the state’s commitment to transparent oversight of law enforcement.
In response to the incident, the DOJ recommended that the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department update training procedures and improve body and dash camera policies. Officials confirmed that the department has since implemented those changes.
Lingering Questions and Community Impact
Though the report provides legal closure, many questions remain about the circumstances that led Savannah into such a dangerous situation and whether alternative tactics could have prevented her death.
Community activists and some family members have called for continued scrutiny into how authorities handle high-risk situations involving minors, particularly in domestic violence contexts that escalate into law enforcement engagements.
For now, however, the attorney general’s office has closed its case, leaving behind a complex story of family breakdown, violence, and a devastating end on a California freeway.
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