Shocking moment US cops shoot dead 15-year-old kidnap victim as deputy begs 'stop shooting her'
2 April 2024, 14:10 | Updated: 2 April 2024, 14:12
A 15-year-old was shot dead by police as a deputy begs fellow officers to 'stop shooting her' after the teenager was kidnapped by her father, newly released footage shows.
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The horrific moment was filmed by a police helicopter above the 15 freeway in Hesperia, California, as Savannah Graziano, shrouded in a blanket, tried to escape from her father, John Graziano, 45.
The teenager was fatally gunned down despite following cops instructions, as one deputy could be heard yelling at fellow officers to hold fire.
Police initially claimed the teen had been shot dead because she was firing back and wearing "tactical equipment", with the newly-released footage appearing to disprove such claims.
Officers were not wearing body-cams at the time of the incident.
Graziano kidnapped his daughter and began a 70 mile police chase on September 27, 2022, after murdering his estranged wife Tracy Martinez.
Teenage kidnapping victim gunned down by cops in California
Only now has the footage been made public, after a US journalist made a request for the footage to be released under the California Public Records Act.
15-year-old Savannah can then be seen exiting the vehicle as an officer announces over the radio: "The girl's out, the female juvie is out. She's out on the passenger side."
The footage then shows the teenager begging police for help as police opened fire as she crouches on the ground, despite one officer yelling "He's in the car!" - signalling that officers were aware her kidnapper remained in the crashed pick-up truck behind her.
The stand-off, which took place around 80-miles from the centre of Los Angeles, followed a police chase which saw Savannah's father open fire on pursuing police vehicles.
The cops can be seen taking cover beside their SUV, as one deputy officer at the scene yells: "Stop shooting her! He's in the car! Stop! She's OK! He's in the car! ... Stop!"
The shocking footage begins after Graziano wrecked the vehicle he and his daughter were travelling in after attempting to driver the truck up a roadside embankment.
Police claimed at the time that they believed Savannah may also have been firing from the back seat of the vehicle.
Weapons, ammunition, flash-bang grenades and smoke grenades were found in the vehicle, as well as a tactical helmet.
The firearms were all legally owned by Graziano, with CJ Wyatt, Savannah's uncle, telling The Guardian: "There needs to be better training so that unarmed people aren't killed".
Labelling Graziano "abusive" and "manipulative", Mr Wyatt believes he is ultimately responsible for Savannah's death.
"Hopefully this video can be used for training – something has to be done differently. She didn't have to die," he added.
Now, the newly released footage reveals officers directing the teenager towards them, with officers repeatedly yelling: 'Passenger, get out! Come here! Come to me! Come, come, come... walk, walk, walk.'
Moments later, the teenager is shot, with one officer heard responding to the shooting with a simple "oh, no."
One deputy was injured by shrapnel during the firefight, the force said at the time.
