The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office will not pursue charges against officers involved in the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Angel Alexander Montaño Magallan, a Marine veteran with a documented history of mental illness. After an independent investigation, the DA found that the officers acted in lawful self-defense and defense of others during the Aug. 4, 2025, incident in the 400 block of 1st St. in Richmond.
“After a review of all available facts surrounding the incident, the District Attorney’s Office finds that the use of deadly force was reasonable under the circumstances,” the DA’s Office stated. “As such, no further action will be taken in this case.”
The District Attorney’s report (view in full here) notes that the incident began with a 911 call from Magallan’s brother, who reported that Magallan was having a mental health crisis. He told dispatchers that the family was trapped inside the apartment because Magallan was blocking the door and threatening to kill him and their mother with a knife. Richmond police officers arrived and began creating a safety plan while waiting for protective shields and less-lethal tools. However, the situation escalated when officers learned Magallan had armed himself with a second knife and heard a woman screaming inside.
Fearing an active stabbing, officers pushed open the door and found Magallan standing over his family. According to the report, Magallan then turned and rushed toward the officers with a knife in each hand. Officer Nicholas Remick retreated onto a landing and ordered Magallan to stop three times. When Magallan continued to charge within 10 feet, Officer Remick and Officer Colton Stocking fired their weapons. Magallan died at the scene, while his mother and brother were physically uninjured.
Tension after city sidelined cops
The DA’s findings come during a period of high tension regarding the officers’ status. Ben Therriault, president of the Richmond Police Officers Association (RPOA), criticized city leadership for keeping the officers on administrative leave even though they had been cleared by internal reviews. During recent council meetings, RPOA representatives described the city’s refusal to return the officers to duty as an act of “political pressure” that left the department vulnerable.
The leave impacted the department’s staffing. A grand jury report last year found that the City Council’s defunding of the Richmond Police Department, which was a national example for community policing roughly a decade ago, raised concerns about public safety in Richmond.
During public comments at recent council meeting, friends of Magallan, community members and activists from the group Dare to Struggle argued that the officers used excessive force and should be removed from the force and charged with murder.
In contrast, Richmond police officers asked the council to recognize the courage required and the trauma faced when confronting armed individuals.
Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that the investigation was conducted by the Contra Costa District Attorney and does not require investigation by the California Department of Justice, as state law only mandates a Department of Justice review for incidents involving unarmed civilians.
