Photo of Bartholomew Williams
Cal State San Bernardino officials expressed their sadness and sympathy following an altercation at a campus residential housing unit shortly after 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8.
The San Bernardino Police Department, which is heading the investigation, issued this information Saturday:
California State San Bernardino University Police Officers responded to the University Village student housing complex regarding a disturbance involving the suspect, 38-year-old graduate student Bartholomew Williams. Officers made contact with Williams in the hallway of his dorm. During the contact Williams became aggressive and an altercation occurred. Officers fearing for their safety fired their weapon striking Williams. Williams was pronounced deceased at the scene. One officer received medical treatment at an area hospital for non-life threatening injury.
“This is a tragic day for the Cal State San Bernardino community. Words cannot express how truly saddened we are at this time. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, and our thoughts and prayers go out to all who knew him,” said CSUSB President Tomás Morales.
“This also is a very difficult time for our University Police Department and the three officers who responded to the scene and performed their best to assure the safety of the campus community,” Morales said. “Our hearts and prayers go out to these officers and their families. This is an unprecedented event at CSUSB, one in which reaches all corners of university family.”
Cal State San Bernardino, which operates an accredited Student Health and Psychological Center on campus, is offering counseling services and support to those affected by this event.
The university is working closely with the San Bernardino Police Department to determine the circumstances that led to this unfortunate tragedy. Anyone with information on this case is asked to call Detective Flesher at (909) 384-5655 or Sergeant Robertson at (909) 841-5361.
Williams was a graduate student majoring in educational-instructional technology. He was enrolled in one course during the recent fall quarter, which ended Friday. He began taking courses at CSUSB in summer 2011.
For more information, contact Sid Robinson at (909) 227-9589 and visit the CSUSB news website at news.csusb.edu.
I am thankful that we have anyone willing to serve on a police force in today’s society. They put their lives on the line every day and get no respect. People are making harsh judgements about the use of deadly force without being in the officer’s shoes. Armed or not, he was aggressive and dangerous, and they had to make split second decision on protecting the residents and themselves. COMPLY WITH POLICE OFFICER ORDERS — SIMPLE.
Authorities say Williams became violent and physical, and that pepper spray and baton strikes were not sufficient to subdue him.
“He was on top of the officer, kicking the officer in the torso and the head,” said San Bernardino police Lt. Paul Williams. “The other officers feared for the officer’s safety and they discharged their weapons.”
http://goo.gl/YvT8y
Being conscientiously aggressive toward officers is obviously not the smartest idea. I’m not sure why there’s such shock when an officer pulls his/her weapon to diffuse a situation like this when someone disregards the requests of law enforcement. Not saying that it is right (i.e. taser instead), but I’m honestly not surprised. Very unfortunate situation, either way.
so cops got “scared” and fired at the African American suspect without knowing whether he was armed or not? I don’t see any mentioning of the suspect being armed
Was he even armed?
I do not know of the situation, but if he did not have a gun himself, the officers should have used a stun gun, this way Bartholomew would have still be alive. There is a new stun gun that can be shot from a safe distance, if the CSU(s) do not have stun guns, this would be a good time to purchase them.
My prayers go out to Bartholomew’s family and all those involved.
Please, explain to me why THREE officers had to use lethal force on ONE middle-aged, unarmed, grad student.
He sounds more like a victim than a suspect to me. sadly, the consequences of guns are just too permanent.