The report, issued under Assembly Bill 1506, examined the Jan. 22, 2023, shooting in which deputies opened fire after Charles Towns, 47, of Pasadena allegedly attacked several people while armed with a knife or scissors near Fair Oaks Avenue and Woodbury Road.
According to the California Department of Justice, deputies responded to multiple 911 calls reporting that Towns was moving through Altadena streets attempting to stab people.
Authorities said Towns fled from deputies and approached a family exiting a vehicle, stabbing one person in the mouth before deputies fired.
The report said deputies fired again when Towns continued moving toward them after being struck. He died at the scene.
After reviewing the evidence, the Department of Justice concluded prosecutors could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the deputies acted unlawfully or without a reasonable belief that deadly force was necessary to protect themselves or others from imminent death or serious bodily injury.
“We acknowledge that this incident has caused grief for those impacted, including Mr. Towns’ family, the law enforcement agencies involved, and the wider community,” Bonta said in a statement.
Bonta said the Department of Justice remains committed to “a legal system that is not only fair and transparent but also accountable to the residents of California.”
Towns’ family announced in September 2024 that they had reached a $5.25 million settlement with Los Angeles County over the shooting.
Although the state declined to file criminal charges, investigators issued several policy recommendations to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The recommendations included additional training on minimizing risks to bystanders during deadly-force incidents, handling officer sequestration after shootings, command structure during critical incidents, firearm re- holstering procedures, body-worn camera activation and interactions with individuals who may be experiencing mental health or substance abuse issues.
The Towns family was represented by attorney Caree Harper in their lawsuit against Los Angeles County over Towns’s death.
“Notwithstanding their ‘conclusion’, Mr. Towns’ family is still heartbroken that he was not given the opportunity to live and get mental health treatment after he was down, disarmed and disabled at the scene,” Harper wrote in an email to Pasadena Now on Friday. “The continued shooting after numerous pauses and opportunities re-evaluate the need for deadly force remains unjustified.”
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