DA exonerates officers in 2019 WRAP restraint death at Concord homeless shelter

Five law enforcement officers acted lawfully in 2019 when a man died in their custody at a homeless shelter, according to a report from the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.

Steven Hankins, died Feb. 8, 2019, at a homeless shelter located at 2047 Arnold Industrial Way in Concord, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

No charges will be brought against the five officers, four Concord police officers and a Contra Costa County sheriff’s deputy. The involved officers are Lt. Sam Staten, officers David Savage, David Greenfield and Raul Alvarado and Deputy Casey Shields.

The report says Hankins was “acting aggressively” and had been trying to apart lockers and bed frames prior to his struggle with officers. In the incident captured by police body camera, Hankins was eventually placed in a WRAP restraint with his hands double cuffed behind him. The reports states no strikes or other police devices were used on Hankins, but the report said: 

“Ofc. Greenfield positioned himself near Hankins’ head, placing his elevated knee over (his) upper back.”

According to the report, Hankins was found unresponsive when was turned to his side after 1 minute and 31 seconds of being restrained on the ground. Neither the officers nor paramedics were able to revive Hankins and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The report notes that the forensic pathologist who conducted the autopsy determined Hankins died from complications of cardiac dysrhythmia, likely caused by him having 10 times greater than a lethal dose of methamphetamine in his system.

The public report is available here. 

Nik Wojcik of SFBay contributed to this report.

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