Los Angeles, CA—Today, Sacramento District Attorney Anne Schubert announced she would not file charges in the officer-involved shooting of Stephon Clark. The LAPPL Board of Directors issued the following statement regarding Schubert's decision:

"We understand the pain and loss of Mr. Clark's family and empathize with their grief. We also understand the long term mental and emotional anguish for the officers involved. This was a horrible tragedy for everyone.

The police officers were confronted by a suspect that was vandalizing property, attempting to break into homes, and was under the influence of dangerous narcotics. The police officers believed that Mr. Clark was advancing on them with a gun and they responded appropriately. The District Attorney shed new light on the totality of circumstances surrounding Mr. Clark's death and dispelled the myth that Mr. Clark was just out for a walk and trying to get into his grandmother's home.

There is nothing anyone can do to unwind the events of that evening. What we can do is holistically address the root causes of crime in our neighborhoods and ensure that all Public Safety Officers receive continuous high-quality training to improve outcomes. We can also require every law enforcement agency to implement policies that are proven to lead to safer interactions between officers and the community. As larger law enforcement agencies have adopted this strategy, California has seen a 40% reduction in fatal police shootings since 2015."