District Attorney Bonnie M. Dumanis has cleared a San Diego police officer of any criminal liability in respect to a fatal shooting. Dumanis concluded that Officer Travis Hamby’s use of deadly force against Dominic Long in July was a reasonable act of self-defense.
On July 24, police received a call regarding a sexual assault by a man walking along Mission Bay Drive. The victim reported that while walking with her children and a friend, a transient-looking man placed his hands inappropriately on her. A police helicopter responded first, locating the suspect, who proceeded to “run and duck under some trees,” according to the police report. Hamby arrived in a marked car and approached Long, who was armed with a knife.
Both witnesses and Hamby stated that Long kept advancing toward the officer and would neither drop his knife nor get on the ground. When he felt he was in danger, Hamby fired four shots, hitting long in the chest once.
Long, 32, was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to the district attorney’s report Long has alcohol in system. He was also identified as a suspect in a previous sexual assault in Clairemont two days before the shooting.
After reviewing the involved officers’ and numerous witness accounts, Dumanis concluded Hamby’s actions were justifiable under Penal Code 196, which allows the police to use deadly force when necessary, and Penal Code 197, which justifies homicide in cases of self-defense.