In San Francisco, a security guard named Michael Earl-Wayne Anthony shot and killed a 24-year-old transgender shoplifter named Banko Brown, who identified as a man. Following the incident, many people marched in the streets in defense of Brown.
However, despite the outcry, the San Francisco district attorney’s office announced that Anthony would not be charged for the shooting due to insufficient evidence. Some believe that the decision not to charge Anthony could indicate a shift in San Francisco’s legal system towards a more balanced approach.
San Francisco’s previous district attorney, Chesa Boudin, was removed from office in a recall election nearly a year ago, and the current district attorney, Brooke Jenkins, maybe taking a different approach. In this case, Anthony claimed that he was defending himself against Brown, and the DA’s office agreed that there was not enough evidence to charge him.
Security footage showed that Anthony confronted Brown as she tried to leave the store with stolen items, and they struggled for about a minute before Brown made a lunging motion toward Anthony. In response, Anthony raised his handgun and shot Brown.
According to Anthony, Brown had threatened to stab him, which made him fear for his safety. He claimed that he normally lets shoplifters go, but in this case, Brown wanted to fight back.
When Brown charged toward him, Anthony pointed his gun downward to defend himself. Brown intended to spit on Anthony, but Anthony shot her before realizing what was happening.
Despite the DA’s decision not to charge him, some San Francisco residents, including Supervisor Shamann Walton and Julia Arroyo, co-executive director of the Young Women’s Freedom Center, objected to the decision and claimed that Brown’s killing was unjustified.
The laissez-faire attitude towards shoplifting that some progressive prosecutors have adopted has caused retailers to leave downtown San Francisco.
However, Jenkins’ decision not to charge Anthony may signal a shift towards a more balanced approach to law enforcement. While some may disagree with the decision, Jenkins’ actions show that San Francisco is taking a different approach towards crime and punishment.
