OAKLAND, Calif. — The California Department of Justice has concluded that criminal charges are not warranted in the 2023 officer-involved shooting death of a Redding resident, according to a report released Monday under Assembly Bill 1506.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the findings of the investigation into the death of David Couch, III, stating that “criminal charges were not appropriate in this case,” according to a California Department of Justice press release issued June 2, 2026.
On Feb. 9, 2023, David Couch, III, a 31-year-old white resident of Redding, was shot by California Highway Patrol Officer Ryan Cates. Couch succumbed to his injuries on Feb. 17, 2023, according to the Record Searchlight.
“We acknowledge that this incident has caused grief for those impacted, including Mr. Couch’s family, the law enforcement agencies involved, and the wider community,” Bonta said in the California Department of Justice press release.
“The California Department of Justice is committed to working in partnership with all law enforcement agencies to ensure that we uphold a legal system that is not only fair and transparent but also accountable to the residents of California. We believe that it is our duty to foster trust within our justice system, and we will strive to ensure that the rights and dignity of all individuals are respected and protected.”
In the report, the attorney general’s office stated that a 911 call was placed reporting that a man was holding a firearm out of the driver’s-side window of his car.
The driver, Couch, was parked in front of his home when Cates arrived. The officer approached Couch with his weapon drawn and asked him to put his hands up, according to the press release.
When Couch did not comply, a physical altercation ensued, according to the Department of Justice.
The department stated that the officer used his Taser on Couch twice, but to no avail. The Taser fell to the ground when Cates attempted to reholster it, and Couch retrieved it and allegedly pointed it at the officer.
It was at that point that Couch sustained what would become a fatal gunshot wound, the press release reported.
Couch’s sister, Lauren Metzger, set up a GoFundMe following the incident. She described his struggle with “severe mental illness,” which the Department of Justice reported included schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
He had recently been released from jail prior to his death.
“David was excited to be out of jail, as my mom recalls him saying ‘I never want to be in trouble again,’” Metzger wrote.
The Department of Justice report was released pursuant to Assembly Bill 1506, which took effect in 2021.
The law requires the Department of Justice to “investigate all incidents of an officer-involved shooting resulting in the death of an unarmed civilian in the state,” according to the department’s website.
The report found that Couch sustained three gunshot wounds: one to his right temple, one to his upper back and another to his right thigh.
The June 2026 report stated that he was holding a cellphone in his hands when he exited his vehicle and was dressed in a tactical vest with two knives in the front pockets and an empty firearm holster affixed to his right side.
His firearm was then in his right hand, and during the incident he was reportedly shouting both incoherently and using slurs and other derogatory statements.
After the first two rounds, Cates’ Taser reportedly entered “powersaver” mode before Couch picked it up and Cates fatally shot him, according to the AB 1506 report.
Following witness statements, which included reports that Couch drove down Interstate 5 waving a gun out of his car window and pointing it at Witness 1’s vehicle, the autopsy report and other investigative findings, the Department of Justice declined to pursue further action.
“Based upon the review of all of the evidence obtained by the Department of Justice, the applicable statutes, legal principles, and totality of the circumstances, there is insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution of Officer Cates,” the AB 1506 report stated.
“Therefore, no further action will be taken in this case.”
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