A California police officer embroiled in a controversial shooting incident from last year has chosen to resign following the discovery of racially offensive text messages that he had authored, some of which trivialized the shooting, according to a statement by the police chief.
Mark McNamara, who had been a member of the San Jose Police Department since 2017, tendered his resignation in the past week after being made aware of an inquiry into his offensive communication. Police Chief Anthony Mata conveyed this information to the Bay Area News Group.
Mata explained that McNamara had been under investigation by the department's internal affairs unit for a separate and unspecified issue. However, during the course of this investigation, it came to light that McNamara had exchanged repugnant text messages that clearly demonstrated racial bias.
A collection of text messages showed McNamara communicating with two unidentified recipients, making reference to the March 27, 2022, shooting incident involving K’aun Green. McNamara had shot and injured Green, who is of African-American descent, after Green had intervened to stop a brawl that had erupted in a restaurant near San Jose State University.
Green had disarmed one of the individuals involved in the altercation and was seen exiting the establishment, holding the confiscated firearm in the air when he was shot, as per the police report.
In a text message dated the day following the shooting, McNamara seemingly used a racial slur when referring to Green. Additional messages from June 2023 appear to have been sent while McNamara was undergoing interviews with the City Attorney’s Office and Green's legal representation, as Green had filed a lawsuit against the city regarding the shooting.
Adanté Pointer, who represents Green through the law firm Lawyers for the People, contended that these messages provided further evidence that the shooting incident involving his client was motivated by racial prejudice.
As of Sunday, contact information for McNamara remained elusive. Steve Slack, President of the San Jose Police Officers’ Association, emphasized that the investigation into these text messages serves as a disconcerting reminder that not everyone in the law enforcement profession possesses the moral compass necessary for the role. He strongly condemned such behavior as entirely unacceptable.
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