James Moala Kofu, a 22-year-old resident of Fontana, California, died on June 21, 2014, in San Bernardino following an officer-involved shooting. The incident occurred around 3:30 a.m. in the 800 block of North Davidson Avenue. Officers from the Fontana Police Department were conducting a follow-up investigation related to a shooting that had taken place the previous night in Fontana, which had left a 37-year-old man injured.
During their investigation, the officers were approached by two men who appeared to be armed. One of these men was identified as James Moala Kofu.
According to police reports, Kofu allegedly pointed a sawed-off rifle at the officers, prompting them to open fire in self-defense. Kofu was struck by the gunfire and pronounced dead at the scene. A weapon was found near his body. The second suspect, identified as 35-year-old Antonio Valentino Ramirez, fled the scene on foot but was apprehended two hours later at a residence on Davidson Avenue. Ramirez was taken into custody without incident and was later identified as the suspect in the Fontana shooting. He was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with both the Fontana and San Bernardino incidents.
The shooting of James Moala Kofu led to an investigation by the San Bernardino Police Department. The officers involved in the shooting were conducting a legitimate follow-up investigation when they were confronted by Kofu and Ramirez. The police department's investigation concluded that the officers acted in self-defense when Kofu pointed the rifle at them. Ramirez, who was not injured during the confrontation, faced charges of attempted murder stemming from the incidents in both Fontana and San Bernardino. He was held at the West Valley Detention Center.
The case did not result in any further litigation or high-profile legal battles, as the investigation supported the officers' actions as being justified under the circumstances. The incident highlighted the dangers faced by law enforcement officers during their duties and the split-second decisions they must make when confronted with potentially life-threatening situations. The death of James Moala Kofu remains a tragic outcome of a violent encounter with law enforcement.
