A California police officer involved in a controversial shooting last year has resigned after the discovery of racist text messages he wrote, including some making light of the shooting, a police chief says. Mark McNamara, a member of the San Jose Police Department since 2017, quit last week following an investigation into his offensive messages. The department’s internal affairs unit was initially looking into an unrelated matter, but their probe led to the revelation of McNamara’s racially biased texts, according to Police Chief Anthony Mata.
The investigation revealed that McNamara had sent disparaging text messages referring to K’aun Green, a Black man who was shot and wounded by McNamara in March 2022 during an incident near San Jose State University. Green had intervened in a fight and disarmed one of the individuals involved before being shot by McNamara as he was backing out of the eatery. One of the text messages, dated the day after the shooting, contained a racial slur directed at Green.
Additional text messages from June 2023 were discovered, which appeared to have been sent while McNamara was being interviewed by the City Attorney’s Office and Green’s legal team, who had filed a lawsuit against the city in relation to the shooting. Adanté Pointer, the lawyer representing Green, stated that these messages confirmed their belief that the shooting was motivated by racial bias.
The identity and contact information for McNamara could not be found at the time of reporting. San Jose Police Officers’ Association President Steve Slack strongly condemned McNamara’s behavior, emphasizing that it is unacceptable and goes against the moral compass required for a career in law enforcement.
This incident highlights the ongoing concern of racial bias within police departments and the need for accountability and reform. The resignation of Officer McNamara serves as a reminder of the importance of addressing these issues to ensure justice and fairness in law enforcement.
