Joseph Curtis Mann, a 51-year-old African-American man who was homeless and lived with mental illness, was killed in Sacramento, California, on July 11, 2016. Residents had called police reporting erratic behavior and that Mann was carrying a knife. Initial officers tried to get Mann to drop the knife and get on the ground; he did not comply, threw a thermos at a police cruiser, and continued down Del Paso Boulevard while shouting threats.

Officers Randy Lozoya and John Tennis arrived; dash cam and cellphone video later showed the officers attempting to run Mann over with their cruiser, then exiting and pursuing him on foot. The officers fired 18 shots, 14 of which struck Mann. Video shows Mann raising his arms three times before being shot. The coroner reported methamphetamine in Mann’s system.

The shooting prompted protests and calls for release of the footage. In January 2017 the Sacramento District Attorney concluded the officers were justified, but that finding was disputed as surveillance footage and advocates highlighted Mann’s mental health. The Mann family sued the city, and the 9th Circuit allowed siblings to proceed with a wrongful-death suit against the city; the two officers later left the Sacramento Police Department.

If anyone knew Joseph Mann, his routines, or witnessed the events on Del Paso Boulevard that day, please share information that could help clarify what happened.