Video shows California cops shooting dead 15-year-old kidnapping victim

A 15-year-old kidnapping victim was shot dead by cops in California as she moved towards them to escape her kidnapper father. A video of the incident from September 2022 has gone public and sent shockwaves.

Fifteen-year-old Savannah Graziano was following the instructions of the cops and coming towards them as the cops, apparently intimidated, fired at her, according to The Daily Mail.

This happened even as a police officer pleaded for the cops to stop firing.

Savannah was kidnapped by her father, Anthony John Graziano, after he murdered his estranged wife, Tracy Martinez.

Anthony’s car was blocked by cops and as Savannah emerged from the car and followed the cops’ advice, the police officers shot her.

This happened even as a deputy kept pleading “Stop shooting her! He’s in the car! Stop! She’s OK! He’s in the car! … Stop!’

The video was released nearly after two years as the sheriff’s deputies had blocked its release.

Cops had earlier claimed that the 15-year-old Savannah was shot because she was wearing tactical equipment and fired back.

However, the footage appears to prove that she was unarmed, according to The Daily Mail report.

The video of the shooting was released on Monday after journalists requested it under the California Public Records Act.

Deputies from San Bernadino County tried to stop Anthony Graziano’s truck when they were fired at by the father who had a semi-automatic weapon, officials said.

Authorities followed the truck for about 70 miles as the father continued to shoot at them before Graziano tried and failed to take his vehicle up an embankment.

Police claimed that Savannah may also have been firing from the vehicle, reported the Daily Mail.

He eventually stopped on the side of the road about 80 miles from downtown Los Angeles.

The newly released footage includes a camera from a sheriff’s department helicopter, showing Anthony Graziano trying to reverse on the road as he fires again.

Savannah, 15, then gets out of the car, with an officer saying over the radio, “The girl’s out, the female juvie is out. She’s out on the passenger side.”

She crouches low but starts moving quickly toward the officers when suddenly a gunshot is heard, and the footage blurs Graziano’s body.

The sheriff’s deputies were not wearing body cameras, but audio was released from an officer near the girl as she was getting out.

He repeatedly yells, “Passenger, get out! Come here! Come to me! Come, come, come… walk, walk, walk.”

San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus initially thought Graziano was charging at deputies in tactical gear during the shooting.

But aerial footage shows Savannah, while speeding up, remained low and her attire wasn’t clear.

One deputy got hurt by shrapnel during the fight.

Officials suggest Savannah may have fired too, but it’s being looked into.

Weapons, ammo, and tactical gear were found at the scene, all owned legally by Graziano.

Savannah was shot dead at the scene, and Graziano was killed.

“There needs to be better training so unarmed people aren’t killed,” CJ Wyatt, Savannah’s uncle, was quoted as saying by the Guardian, adding “she didn’t have to die.”

Graziano also shot Martinez, Savannah’s mom, earlier.

Martinez identified Graziano before dying but didn’t mention Savannah was there, according to the Daily Mail report.

The sheriff’s office didn’t give more details. The incident is under investigation by the state’s Department of Justice. The sheriff’s department faces scrutiny over wrongful arrests and death lawsuits.