The Orange County District Attorney’s office (OCDA) has vindicated two police officers who were under investigation for a fatal Laguna Niguel shooting. In a letter to Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes, OCDA Todd Spitzer said the deputies’ use of force was consistent with the law. The letter included a report prepared by Senior Deputy District Attorney Janine Madera, stating that the officer’s actions were justified under the circumstances. Officer-Involved Shooting Stephan Curtis McCullough, 32, was shot by police last May 11 as he was about to strike his girlfriend with a hammer, the OCDA report said. The case began when Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) deputies Craig Sanders and Mark Dent responded to reports of a couple screaming and smashing objects inside an a 50 Coral Sea apartment. Sanders brought an AR-15 rifle, and Dent brought a less-than-lethal super sock 12-guage shotgun. Sanders and Dent reportedly heard muffled sounds of a struggle emanating from inside the location. “… somebody was in …