The family of Kenneth Mullins, a 32-year-old man shot and killed by Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputies in March 2020, has reached a $3 million settlement with Fresno County—pending final approval.
Mullins, who was homeless, was found asleep inside an auto shop after allegedly breaking in. When deputies arrived, two claimed Mullins appeared to point a weapon at them, prompting them to open fire. However, a third deputy disputed that version, saying Mullins’ hands were at his sides before he raised them. Mullins was unarmed at the time.
The lawsuit alleged that the investigation was incomplete because deputies did not have body cameras during the incident. Attorney Butch Wagner, representing the family, said the case led the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office to adopt body cameras to prevent similar disputes in the future.
The settlement funds will go to Mullins’ mother and daughter.