On Thursday, March 6, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office released the bodycam footage detailing the events that took place on the evening of February 8, 2025 resulting in murder of 26-year old Luis Lopez by Orange County deputies.

 Around 11:30 pm, officers arrived at the scene in the Pine Castle neighborhood upon reports of a burglary in progress. The bodycam footage shows that both dispatch and the officers on scene had knowledge that a Spanish interpreter was being used to communicate. One officer found signs of forced entry at the front entrance of the home. At least two officers then entered the backyard and found a ladder propped underneath an open window that the intruder, a disgruntled coworker, had used to enter the home.

 In the video, Luis can be clearly heard shouting “No, no, no!” and “¡Ayuda!” or “Help!” in Spanish. A few moments later, Luis was seen from the window holding the intruder in a headlock. The officers ordered him to “drop the knife,” multiple times in English, a language which Luis did not speak. They each fired a round from their handguns, striking Luis in the head and killing him. No knife was found at the scene.

 Orlando Against Police Crimes strongly condemns the unjust murder of Luis Lopez. We demand that the Orange County Sheriff’s Office release the names of the officers responsible for Luis’ murder. Additionally, we demand State Attorney Monique H. Worrell to press criminal charges against the offending officers.

 Orlando Against Police Crimes is working alongside the friends and family of Luis Lopez to organize a memorial vigil at Lake Ellenor Park on Sunday, March 16 at 2 pm. The vigil will be an opportunity to honor his memory, demand accountability, and call for justice. For more information, visit https://orlandoapc.org

#OrlandoFL #FL #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #KillerCops #OAPC #NAARPR

¡Lucha y Resiste! servicio noticial esta circulando la siguiente comunicado de Orlando Contra los Crímenes Policiales

El jueves 6 de marzo, la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Orange publicó las imágenes de la cámara corporal que detallan los eventos que tuvieron lugar la noche del 8 de febrero de 2025 y que resultaron en el asesinato de Luis López, de 26 años, a manos de agentes del Condado de Orange.

Alrededor de las 11:30 p.m., los agentes llegaron al lugar en el vecindario de Pine Castle ante informes de un robo en progreso. Las imágenes de la cámara corporal muestran que tanto el despacho como los oficiales en la escena sabían que se estaba utilizando un intérprete de español para comunicarse. Un oficial encontró señales de entrada forzada en la entrada principal de la casa. Luego, al menos dos agentes entraron al patio trasero y encontraron una escalera apoyada debajo de una ventana abierta que el intruso, un compañero de trabajo descontento, había usado para entrar a la casa.

En el video se puede escuchar claramente a Luis gritar “¡No, no, no!” y “¡Ayuda!” o “¡Ayuda!” en español. Unos momentos después, se vio a Luis desde la ventana sujetando al intruso con una llave de cabeza. Los agentes le ordenaron “soltar el cuchillo” varias veces en inglés, un idioma que Luis no hablaba. Cada uno de ellos disparó una bala con sus pistolas, alcanzando a Luis en la cabeza y matándolo. En el lugar no se encontró ningún cuchillo.

Orlando Contra los Crímenes Policiales condena enérgicamente el injusto asesinato de Luis López. Exigimos que la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Orange dé a conocer los nombres de los oficiales responsables del asesinato de Luis. Además, exigimos a la fiscal estatal Monique H. Worrell que presenta cargos penales contra los agentes infractores.

Orlando Against Police Crimes está trabajando junto con los amigos y familiares de Luis López para organizar una vigilia conmemorativa en Lake Ellenor Park el domingo 16 de marzo a las 2 pm. La vigilia será una oportunidad para honrar su memoria, exigir rendición de cuentas y pedir justicia. Para más información, visite https://orlandoapc.org/es

#OrlandoFL #InJusticeSystem #LuisLopez #OAPC

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement by Orlando Against Police Crimes.

Orlando Against Police Crimes strongly condemns the murder of 24-year old Luis Lopez by Orange County deputies on the night of Saturday, February 8th in the Pine Castle neighborhood.

Officers arrived following reports of a burglarized home. In a statement to WFTV, a close friend of Lopez, Loida Zunun, said “Some guy was trying to get in his house, and he called my mom,” Zunun said. “He was scared, and he told us, hey, there’s somebody trying to come inside my house.”

Upon arrival, officers found Lopez defending himself with a knife. The deputies fired on Lopez and he was pronounced dead after being transported to a local hospital.

The two deputies who reported to the scene, including the killer cop remain on paid administrative leave. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is currently investigating the case and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office will conduct its own investigation upon its completion. However, due to the weakening and elimination of already-toothless review boards resulting from Republican-backed legislation like House Bill 601, there lacks a vehicle for independent civilian review and genuine accountability.

“He was just protecting himself. I don’t see another way. He asked for help, and we were trying to help him. He didn’t deserve this,” stated Zunun.

Orlando Against Police Crimes will be mobilizing to the upcoming Orange County Sheriff's Office Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) on February 13 to demand justice for Luis Lopez. The family is raising funds for funeral expenses to bring Luis back to his home country of Mexico, you can donate by clicking here.

Justice for Luis Lopez!

Jail the killer cops!

Community control now!

#OrlandoFL #FL #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #KillerCops #OAPC

Orlando, FL – On January 20, organizations from around Central Florida rallied to protest the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump.

Jacob Muldoon, district organizer of the Orlando District of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization stated, “We are here to begin the resistance to an agenda trying to take each of us down, from students and labor organizers to women and anti-war protesters.”

The group began with chants of “They say go back, we say fight back!” and transitioned into speeches by local organizers on how they will be fighting against the Trump agenda.

A member of UCF Students for a Democratic Society stated, “Thus, our focus should not be only Trump himself, but how he has emboldened universities, including our own UCF, to limit student rights in order to fit their own agenda. Just this year the UCF board of trustees moved to not only pass anti-trans policies on campus, but also multiple anti-protesting regulations on campus, as a response to the pro-Palestine encampments of Spring 2024.”

“What's particularly insidious about Donald Trump is how much he always has and continues to tout himself as an anti-war candidate,” said Cassia Laham from Orlando for Peace and the United National Antiwar Coalition. “We must continue demanding justice in Palestine, demanding the U.S. stop arming and funding the genocidal Israeli state, and demanding a world without U.S. wars.”

Edmund Anglero from Orlando Against Police Crimes (OAPC) talked about the connection between the Trump agenda and local police agencies, stating, “Racist trigger-happy cops patrolling our community will be more willing to take someone’s life without fear of any repercussions. This is why we need to fight for police accountability, especially after the city dissolved the Civilian Police Review Board.”

The rally ended safely with a final chant of “Hey hey ho ho, the Trump agenda has got to go!”

The protest was led by the Orlando district of FRSO, alongside Orlando for Peace, UCF Students for a Democratic Society, Central Florida Queers for Palestine, American Party of Labor, Orlando DSA, Space Coast DSA, and Revolutionary Marxists of Orlando.

#OrlandoFL #SDS #FRSO #DSA #UCF #QueersforPalestine #Trump #Inauguration #OAPC #CPRB