Criminal charges not warranted related to July 29, 2022, officer-involved shooting of David Pelaez-Chavez

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On July 29, 2022, in a rural area of Sonoma County outside of Healdsburg, David Pelaez-Chavez was shot and killed by a Sonoma County Sheriff’s Deputy. Pursuant to a county-wide protocol in which outside agencies investigate incidents of officer-involved shootings, the Santa Rosa Police Department investigated this shooting. At the conclusion of their investigation, they then provided their investigation to the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office to evaluate the appropriateness of any potential criminal charges.

District Attorney Carla Rodriguez has conducted and concluded a thorough review of the circumstances related to above incident. This review included not only consideration of the Santa Rosa Police Department’s investigation, but also accounts for legal standards related to the filing of criminal charges, legal standards stemming from recent revisions to California’s statutory scheme related to officer-involved shootings, and the opinions of an independent expert related to police practices and uses of force.

The District Attorney’s evaluation and report only addresses the limited inquiry of whether or not it would be appropriate to bring criminal charges against any law enforcement personnel related to Mr. Pelaez-Chavez’s death. Accounting for the totality of circumstances related to this incident, legal standards applicable to the filing of criminal charges, justifiable uses of force by peace officers, and the opinions of an independent expert, the District Attorney has concluded that criminal charges are not warranted for any law enforcement personnel related to the officer-involved shooting of David Pelaez-Chavez. The District Attorney’s full report related to this incident will be available on the District Attorney’s website.