A white San Jose cop who wrongly shot a black college football star has resigned after officials found he had sent racist texts littered with the N-word.
Mark McNamara stepped down from his role this week after an investigation into his involvement in a shootout revealed he sent colleagues offensive messages stating he ‘hated black people’.
During an incident in 2022, McNamara shot high school football star K’aun Green, who is now a Contra Costa College linebacker, four times in the back, abdomen and arm.
Once an investigation began into why McNamara shot Green, officials were alerted to a series of texts sent to two unnamed recipients — described only as one active department employee and a former department employee.
The texts were in reference to the shootout and were dated the day after the incident happened.
Mark McNamara resigned earlier this week after an investigation of his involvement in a 2022 shootout revealed offensive messages he sent to colleagues where he wrote that he ‘hated Black people’
McNamara was involved in a shootout that left, K’aun Green, a former high school football star who is now a Contra Costa College linebacker, with four gunshots in the back, abdomen and arm
Once an investigation began into why McNamara shot Green, officials were alerted to a series of texts sent to two unnamed recipients — described only as one active department employee and a former department employee
But what was supposed to be a heroic moment for Green turned out to be sorrowful as when the police arrived at the scene, they saw Green with the gun and assumed that he was the shooter, subsequently shooting him
One of the two dozen text messages read: ‘N**** wanted to carry a gun in the Wild West. Not on my watch haha’ while another read ‘I hate black people’
One of the two dozen text messages read: ‘N**** wanted to carry a gun in the Wild West. Not on my watch haha’, while another read ‘I hate black people’.
San Jose Police Chief Anthony Mata said of the revelation: ‘Earlier this week, through an unrelated criminal investigation into one of our officers, Internal Affairs Investigators discovered that the officer had sent disgusting text messages that demonstrated racial bias.
‘Immediately, Internal Affairs initiated a separate proactive administrative investigation. These messages came to light in the last few days and hours and that officer is no longer employed with the City.
‘There is zero tolerance for even a single expression of racial bias at the San José Police Department.
‘The messages were found due to the expansion of our Internal Affairs Unit’s efforts to thoroughly investigate all questionable conduct and is why we have made investments in a new early warning system.’
The employee who received the messages has been put on administrative leave and is ‘pending an internal investigation’.
A brawl inside the La Victoria taqueria in the city saw Green wrestling an active shooter and taking his gun away. He then held the gun and slowly began to walk out of the restaurant with his back facing the doors
McNamara was involved in a shootout that left, K’aun Green, a former high school football star who is now a Contra Costa College linebacker, with four gunshots in the back, abdomen and arm
A brawl inside the La Victoria taqueria in the city saw Green wrestling an active shooter and taking his gun away.
He then held the gun and slowly began to walk out of the restaurant with his back facing the doors.
But what was supposed to be a heroic moment for Green turned out to be sorrowful as when the police arrived at the scene, they saw Green with the gun and assumed that he was the shooter, subsequently shooting him.
After it was revealed that Green was not the active shooter in the restaurant brawl, police explained why they shot Green and said that a homicide had occurred a block away earlier and they ‘feared’ that the brawl and homicide were related.
Although a clarification was made, the police never apologized for their actions or retracted from their position.
Green’s attorney, Adante Pointer claimed that there were many other more thoughtful approaches the police could have taken
While Green was unaware of the revelation, his attorneys knew what had happened. One of them named Angel Alexander, revealed how Green felt about the texts and said: ‘He was shocked and pissed.’
Green’s attorney, Adante Pointer claimed that there were many other more thoughtful approaches the police could have taken.
‘They had a lot of different tactical options available to them than what they chose, which was just to storm into a tight space where you don’t know who’s who, what’s what, how many weapons there are or anything.’ Pointer said.
‘They could have used the loudspeaker and said ‘everyone out, hands up, we’ve surrounded the place.’
While Green was unaware of the revelation, his attorneys knew what had happened. One of them named Angel Alexander, revealed how Green felt about the texts and said: ‘He was shocked and pissed.’
Officials said they do not expect criminal charges to be filed over the texts.
