# New video shows officer contact before fatal scooter crash

> San Francisco police officer tackled man fleeing on scooter before fatal crash.
- Title: New video shows officer contact before fatal scooter crash
- Summary: San Francisco police officer tackled man fleeing on scooter before fatal crash. Public defender says SFPD officer used excessive force killing 56-year-old…
- Keywords: san francisco police department, edwin michael adams, sfpd, public defender, police pursuit, excessive force, scooter crash, bus stop, ankle monitor, warrant, The San Francisco Standard
- Source: The San Francisco Standard — https://sfstandard.com/2026/11/12/surveillance-footage-contradicts-sfpd-story-scooter-chase-death
- Published: 2026-11-12T18:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: san francisco police department, edwin michael adams, sfpd, public defender, police pursuit, excessive force, scooter crash, bus stop, ankle monitor, warrant, news, local
## New video reveals officer contact
Public defender obtained video showing officer tackling man fleeing on scooter before fatal crash.

> SFPD officers engaged in a pursuit in violation of department policy, and one officer used excessive force on the suspect, killing him
## Initial SFPD account contradicted
SFPD said Adams fell from scooter but omitted officer contact before crash.

> In its initial account of the incident, SFPD said Adams fell from his scooter but did not mention that an officer appeared to make physical contact with him immediately beforehand
## Adams died after chase
Edwin Michael Adams, 56, died Oct. 12 near Eighth and Mission streets after police tried to detain him.

> Edwin Michael Adams, 56, died Oct. 12 near the corner of Eighth and Mission streets after police tried to detain him on an arrest warrant related to his ankle monitor
## Public defender's complaint
Public defender claims SFPD violated policies on pursuits, use of force and honesty.

> SFPD officers engaged in a pursuit in violation of department policy, and one officer used excessive force on the suspect, killing him
## SFPD policy violation
SFPD policy allows pursuits only for felony or violent misdemeanor but Adams had probation violation.

> The warrant for Adams was issued because the battery in his ankle monitor was not properly charged. An alleged probation violation is not a felony nor violent misdemeanor, nor was Adams’ underlying charge so the pursuit was a violation of department policy
## Excessive force claim
Officer tackled Adams while he was riding rapidly on scooter without helmet.

> Crouching down to tackle a person traveling rapidly on a scooter without a helmet posed significant danger to the person, to the officer, and potentially to members of the public in the area
## SFPD response criticized
SFPD public response described as 'a lie' by witness.

> One of the witnesses interviewed by the press at the scene later described SFPD’s public response as 'a lie'
## Key takeaway

Public defender says SFPD officer used excessive force killing 56-year-old Edwin Adams during unlawful pursuit.