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Many Questions Still Unanswered In Fatal San Francisco BART Shooting

OAKLAND (KCBS) – Bay Area Rapid Transit Police Chief Kenton Rainey told the newly-formed BART Police Citizens Review Committee on Wednesday that 45-year-old Charles Hill, the man fatally shot at the San Francisco Civic Center station by BART police on July 3, was actually brandishing two knives and a bottle.

Many questions remain unanswered, as the transit agency continues to investigate the incident, but Rainey said Hill attacked the two officers involved in the shooting.

KCBS' Bob Melrose Reports:

But he refused to give more details about how far away Hill was from the officers when he was shot and what he did leading up to the shooting.

"At least 40 witnesses were identified that night. Investigators are contacting them, trying to schedule interviews when the witnesses are going to be available," said Rainey. "These investigations do take time, they don't happen overnight."

There were numerous witnesses at the station and one woman has said that Hill was not posing a threat and she did not see him carrying any knives.

Rainey has refused to release a partial videotape of what happened until the investigation is complete.

The committee, which was created following the fatal shooting of Oscar Grant at the Fruitvale BART station on New Year's Day 2009, was expected to also look into the incident.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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