BART Officer Who Killed Homeless Man Cleared of Wrongdoing

The BART police officer who shot and killed a man on a San Francisco train platform last year has been officially cleared of wrongdoing, according to the Bay Citizen.

Former BART police officer James Crowell shot and killed Charles Hill, a 45-year old homeless man who was "wobbly drunk" but wielding a knife on July 3, 2011. Crowell is captured on video shooting Hill "in self defense" 25 seconds after arriving on scene at the Civic Center BART station.

BART officials declined to comment on the investigation into Crowell's conduct and did not release a report stemming from their nearly year-long investigation, the web site reported.

BART's official police investigator will not conduct an audit, the web site reported, as the agency has not received an official complaint stemming from the incident, the web site reported. An official complaint must come from the victim, the victim's family, a witness, or a suspect, the web site reported.

Hill's family is based on the east coast, the story reported.

BART police officers have been criticized for beligerent responses to situations since a BART officer shot and killed an unarmed man, Oscar Grant, on a BART station platform on New Year's Day 2009. A BART board member said that officers are now being trained in nonviolent, intervention techniques, the web site reported.