Still shot images from Brentwood Officer Tanner Kephart’s dash camera video depicting Romaine Morgan turning towards officers with his firearm and lifts it to an approximate 45-degree angle (top) after forcefully returning to his vehicle (bottom). Source: CCDA
Describes incident in which 6’3”, 320-pound Romaine Alexander Morgan overpowers three officers to grab his AR-style firearm
By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office
Martinez, California – A report by the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office on the officer-involved shooting death of Romaine Alexender Morgan in Brentwood on Dec. 24, 2025, is now available to the public.
The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office is one of a handful of counties in the State of California that publishes public reports on law enforcement-involved fatal incidents. “Being transparent with the public is a cornerstone of my administration,” said District Attorney Diana Becton. “Since 2018, our office has made these reports available to the public, in the hope that transparency brings understanding. It is important for the public to know the significant investigative effort involved in reviewing these incidents, and how our office carefully analyzes the facts through a legal lens when reaching a charging decision.”
As the report details, the incident involving Romaine Morgan of Stockton, begins around 10:54 pm on December 24th, 2025. That’s when Brentwood Police Officer Tanner Kephart notices Morgan’s vehicle in front of him traveling well below the 45-mph speed limit on Deer Valley Road weaving “back and forth…and swerve erratically to the right.” Officer Kephart initiates “a traffic stop under the suspicion of driving under the influence” on Balfour Road. Shortly after, officers Chelsea Valadez and Kimberly Beltran arrive at the traffic stop to assist him.
Morgan was detained, and while searching his vehicle, “Officer Beltran removed a jacket from the front passenger floorboard and located an AR-style firearm”—later determined to be unserialized.
The rifle Morgan possessed prior to the shooting. Photo: Brentwood PD
The discovery of the firearm leads to Kephart ordering Morgan to place his hands behind his back, but instead Morgan pushes Valadez, and flees east on Balfour Road, only to stop, change directions, and run back toward the driver’s side of his vehicle to the loaded firearm. A scuffle ensues with officers attempting to grab him. Morgan continues punching and pushing the officers out of the way. Valadez deploys a taser at Morgan, who was 6’3”, 320-pounds, but it is ineffective.
Reaching his vehicle, Morgan finds his firearm, grabs it by the pistol grip, turns towards the officers, and lifts the barrel of the firearm toward them. “All three officers immediately…back away from Morgan.” Kephart retreats next to his patrol car, draws his firearm, and fires “10 times, in rapid succession” at Morgan.
Despite the administration of life-saving measures by officers and medical personnel, Morgan succumbs to his injuries and is pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene. (See related articles here and here)
Shortly after the incident, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office launches an independent investigation, as required under county protocol, to determine whether anyone involved may be criminally liable.
After a thorough investigation into the officer-involved shooting of Romaine Alexander Morgan, and in applying the law and the California District Attorney’s Uniform Crime Charging Standards to the present case, the District Attorney’s Office concluded: “Officers Kephart, Valadez, and Beltran acted in lawful self-defense/defense of others, and their use of force was reasonable under the circumstances. As such, no further action will be taken in this case.”
The 32-page report has been sent to the Brentwood Police Department and the California Department of Justice and is available to the public on the Contra Costa District Attorney’s website.
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