Autopsy: San Francisco police shot Mario Woods 20 times, six in the back
According to an autopsy report released Thursday, Mario Woods, who died in a police-involved shooting last December in San Francisco, was shot 20 times—at least six in the back.
There remains the possibility, the San Francisco Chronicle reported, of a 21st gunshot wound: 27 shell casings were found at the scene. The report also says Woods had undetermined levels of methamphetamine, marijuana, antidepressants, and cough medicine in his system at the time of his death. The report was made by Chief Medical Examiner Michael Hunter.
Police attempted to apprehend Woods on Dec. 2 around 4 p.m after he allegedly “slashed a stranger for no apparent reason,” the Chronicle reported. Officers had been dispatched to San Francisco General Hospital to take a report from a man who had been been slashed on his shoulder while in his car.
Following a brief search, Woods, 26, was spotted trying to board a bus and quickly took a knife out of his pants. Police ordered him to drop the knife, to which Woods allegedly responded by saying, “you’re not taking me today” and “you better squeeze that [trigger] and kill me.” After continued pursuit, Woods was surrounded and fired upon with non-lethal beanbags, to little effect, according to police documents. According to statements made by the five police officers involved, when Woods began moving toward a gathering crowd, knife still in hand, he was shot.