The Orange County Sheriff’s Department released footage Wednesday of the police-involved shooting of a 42-year-old Black man killed after being accused of jaywalking in San Clemente last September.
On Sept. 23, two Orange County deputies confronted Kurt Andras Reinhold on the corner of El Camino Real near Hotel Miramar in San Clemente, California. Bystander footage of the shooting that circulated last year showed the deputies trying to keep Reinhold, who was homeless, from walking in the street. After Reinhold tried walking away, the deputies wrestled him to the ground. One deputy shouted “He’s got my gun!”
The deputies performed life-saving measures, but Reinhold was pronounced dead on the scene. Both deputies, identified as Eduardo Duran and Jonathan Israel were a part of the Homeless Outreach Team. Reinhold’s family said the father of two was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of the shooting.
Newly released dashcam footage shows the moments that led up to the shooting, including the deputies’ argument in the patrol car over how to respond to Reinhold’s jaywalking.
The release also includes cellphone and motel surveillance video that captured the struggle with Reinhold.
“Every time a law enforcement contact escalates to the use of deadly force, it is tragic for the family, the deputies and the community,” Sheriff Don Barnes said in a statement. “We are releasing this critical incident video to be transparent, and must reserve judgement until the Orange County District Attorney’s Office completes their investigation.”
“Watch this. He is going to jaywalk,” a deputy says in the dashcam video, adding, “there you go.”
“I don’t know, dude,” the deputy responded, as Reinhold crossed the street.
The other deputy responded, “Don’t make case law,” and his partner snaps back, “It is not case law.”
The two then pulled up beside Reinhold. “What’s going on? How are you doing?” one of the deputies asked, then disappeared from view of the dashcam.
A deputy asked Reinhold off-camera, “Are you going to stop or are we going to have to make you stop?”
The deputy continually told Reinhold to stop, while Reinhold asked “for what?”
The cellphone footage included in the release shows Reinhold arguing in the street with the deputies, repeatedly asking them not to touch him.
The conflict became increasingly physical and the deputies wrestled Reinhold to the ground. A deputy shouted “He’s got my gun!” and the other deputy fired his weapon twice, about seven seconds apart.
John Taylor, the attorney for Reinhold’s family, disputed the idea that Reinhold reached for the deputy’s gun and said Reinhold grazed the gun while attempting to push the deputy away.
“If Kurt Reinhold wasn’t a Black man, this stop — let alone the shooting — never happens,” Taylor said.
In December, Reinhold’s family filed a suit against Orange County, alleging his Fourth and 14 Amendment rights were violated.
The new footage “confirms what we knew all along — the involved deputies had no reason to stop Mr. Reinhold,” attorneys for the family said Wednesday.
The shooting remains under investigation by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the Sherriff’s Office, and the county’s law enforcement watchdog agency. The deputies involved were reassigned but have returned to duty.
