The Death of Chinedu Okobi
A 36-year-old Black man was tased 7 times by San Mateo County deputies during a jaywalking stop. He died of cardiac arrest. He was unarmed and carrying a bag. DA Stephen Wagstaffe declined to charge any of the deputies involved. Okobi was the fourth person to die after being tased by San Mateo County law enforcement in 2018 alone. Taxpayers paid $4.5 million.
What Happened
On October 3, 2018, Chinedu Okobi, a 36-year-old Black man, was walking across El Camino Real in Millbrae with a bag in hand. Deputy Joshua Wang spotted him crossing the street against a traffic light — jaywalking — and attempted to stop him.
Okobi's family said he struggled with mental illness and was having a breakdown that day. When deputies confronted him on the sidewalk, Okobi pulled away. Deputy Wang began tasing him. Okobi fell, tried to run, and punched Wang after the deputy swung a baton at him.
In total, Wang deployed his Taser on Okobi seven times. Deputies also struck him with batons and used pepper spray. Okobi went into cardiac arrest.
The San Mateo County coroner determined the cause of death was "cardiac arrest following physical exertion, physical restraint, and recent electro-muscular disruption." In plain English: the repeated tasing, combined with physical restraint, killed him.
This was not an isolated incident. Okobi was the fourth person to die after being tased by law enforcement in San Mateo County in 2018 alone.
Key Players
Timeline
Outcome
No criminal charges against any deputy. No officer fired. The county quietly settled for $4.5 million — paid by taxpayers, not by the deputies who deployed a Taser 7 times on an unarmed man stopped for crossing the street.
The sheriff's office later limited Taser use to 3 deployments maximum and added defibrillators to patrol cars. These reforms came because Chinedu Okobi died. They should have existed before he walked across El Camino Real.
Why This Matters
DA Stephen Wagstaffe decided that tasing an unarmed man 7 times during a jaywalking stop was "reasonable." The same DA is currently pursuing 7 felony charges against a squatter removal operator whose responding officer called the incident a civil matter.
The pattern is clear: in San Mateo County, law enforcement kills an unarmed man and pays zero consequences. A civilian enters a property with authorization from the owner and faces 7 years in prison.
Chinedu Okobi's name should be remembered every time Wagstaffe claims to serve justice.
Take Action
Hold These Officials Accountable
Sources
- KTVU: San Mateo County Pays $4.5M After Man Dies Following Taser Deployments
- SF Standard: Bay Area Taser Death Leads to $4.5 Million Payout
- SM Daily Journal: San Mateo County Settles Okobi's Taser Suit for $4.5 Million
- CBS News: Officers Won't Be Charged in Taser-Related Death of Unarmed Black Man
- Almanac News: Settlement for "Jaywalking Stop Gone Wrong"