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

Portland, OR – On Monday, March 3, organizations involved in the February 23 anti-deportation protest held a press conference outside the Portland Police Bureau’s (PPB) central precinct headquarters to speak out against police harassment of protest organizers, harassment that endangered people participating in the march.

Speaking at the press conference were organizers from Portland Contra las Deportaciones (PDXCD), Portland for Palestine (P4P), and Extinction Rebellion. News organizations attending the conference included The Oregonian, KOIN, KATU and KGW.

Beatriz Ibarra, a member of PDXCD, explained to the gathered press, “To ensure the safety of the demonstrators in the march, cars and a decommissioned fire truck driven by supporters led and followed the crowd.”

Ibarra went on to say, “Before the march started, we had come to an agreement with a police officer that the march was cleared to go by the First Amendment. Despite this understanding, the police officers intimidated organizers in a process of aggressive but cowardly bullying that culminated in physical harassment of the protesters, and citations were given to two vehicles.” The fines from the citations totaled over $2000.

Bella Smith, who was harassed by a police officer at the march stated, “As a marshal with a high visibility vest, my job is to protect protesters from things like motor vehicles as they move through the streets. While the protest was at the intersection of 6th Avenue and Madison, a police officer hit me with his motorcycle, then immediately started threatening me with a citation, not asking if I was okay. Hitting me with a motorcycle for protecting the protesters from motor vehicles proves exactly why my role was necessary. We cannot allow there to be a precedent that keeping people safe comes with the penalty of being harassed, cited and assaulted with a deadly weapon.”

Michele Darr of P4P, one of the drivers for the protest, stated, “I have provided vehicular crowd support countless times before, ensuring the safety of people exercising their First Amendment rights. I have never experienced any problems – until now.” Darr then detailed the underhanded way in which PPB handed out the citations, “The citations were not issued at the time when the violations allegedly occurred, but an hour later and several blocks away. This blatant attempt to fracture the infrastructure of support and thereby silence our calls for justice is not only illegal, it’s an unacceptable incursion on our first amendment rights.”

Closing out the press conference was Omar Gil of PDXCD, who announced the plans of the coalition going forward, “We plan to fight the fines in traffic court and also launch a civil lawsuit against the Portland Police Bureau for their attacks on our First Amendment rights and for directly interfering with the safety of our protest.”

Gil then reiterated the demands of the coalition, urging the mayor and police chief to end the harassment and drop the fines, stating, “Mayor Keith Wilson claims he stands with immigrants and has stated his intent to uphold Oregon’s status as a sanctuary state. And yet, under his watch, Portland Police are repressing pro-immigrant protests. We want more than just words, we want action. We demand Keith Wilson and Bob Day drop the fines and end the harassment of protesters.”

After a question and answer section at the end, P4P and PDXCD rallied outside the police precinct, with chants of “Bob Day, drop the fines! We will not pay a dime!” and “We will not be silent! PPB end the violence!”

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #PDXCD

Aurora CO – On March 1, during an unseasonably warm Saturday, family members of Kory Dillard and 15 of their supporters gathered outside of the Aurora Municipal Center, for a rally against police crimes.

Dillard, described by attendees as a beloved community member and veteran, was murdered by the Aurora Police Department (APD) on October 3, 2024.

Dillard is survived by his partner Anna Harris, who has been spending the last five months fighting for accountability and justice for Kory. She spoke to the crowd about the false narratives being spread about Dillard by APD Chief Todd Chamberlain, who characterizes Kory as a rock-wielding carjacker. Video evidence of Dillard’s death directly contradicts this false narrative, but Chamberlain evidently seeks to sweep Dillard’s murder under the rug.

“What are these wrongful deaths of Black men,” Harris asked, “but police being the judge, the jury, and the executioner, when the death penalty has been long gone in Colorado?”

The rally was a site of shared grief by another family who has lost loved ones at the hands of APD – the Lewis family.

Kiawa Lewis, the brother of Kilyn Lewis, stood amongst the attendees alongside his daughter. Kilyn was a 37-year-old unarmed Black man who was gunned down by Officer Michael Dieck while working on his car’s sound system just outside his Aurora apartment.

Standing alongside Harris, Lewis spoke, saying, “It's been a tiring road, but the thing is they want to tire us out. But we stand together; we fight together.”

Ryan Stitzel, the chair of Denver-Aurora Community Action Committee (DACAC) took to the megaphone to address District Attorney Amy Padden, saying, “These police historically have not been held accountable when they've done this. When they killed Kilyn Lewis they were not held accountable. When they killed 14-year-old Jor‘Dell Richardson when they pinned him down in an alley and shot him behind a dumpster they were not held accountable, and right now the District Attorney for Arapahoe County is deciding whether or not she's going to hold these killer cops accountable and we're here to say: you must!“

The participants of the rally chanted “Black lives matter!” and “When killer cops are on patrol, how do we stop them? Community control.”

Nels Pine, another member of DACAC, addressed the rally, stating “They write all these horrific lies in the newspaper about Kory Dillard, about Jor’Dell Richardson, where they accuse them of all sorts of crimes. Well, the people accused of those crimes aren't alive to defend themselves against this slander, and so we'll speak the truth. That's the very least we could do, is speak the truth and say that they were never found guilty of anything!”

Pine continued, “They were murdered in the street by police officers who robbed them of their Sixth Amendment right to a trial by a jury of their peers. These crimes by the APD have got to stop.”

The Denver Aurora Community Action Committee ended the rally by reiterating their demands on District Attorney Amy Padden, and reaffirming their commitment to the fight against racist police violence and for community control of the police.

#AuroraCO #CO #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #KillerCops #NAARPR #DACAC

Brooklyn, NY – Eudes Pierre’s family, friends, and supporters filled the room at the Eastern Parkway library, March 1, for the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression’s (NYAARPR) event, kicking off their new campaign to demand justice for Eudes Pierre.

Eudes Pierre, a 26-year-old Haitian American man was murdered by the NYPD on December 20, 2021, while experiencing a mental health crisis. Pierre had called the police, in clear distress, and when the police arrived, they followed him into and out of the subway station, and then shot him ten times. Despite the fact that police officers were aware that Pierre was experiencing a mental health crisis, they engaged him with extreme force and had tased him multiple times before shooting him.

Pierre’s family has remained steadfast in their demand for justice and accountability, and in their determination to never let this happen again. The family successfully fought to have the street where Pierre grew up named after him and are fighting to implement the Eudes Pierre Law, which would replace police offers with trained peers when it comes to mental health crisis intervention.

The NYPD, the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), and the New York attorney general’s office, however, have all played a part in denying justice for Eudes Pierre. When the NYPD murdered Pierre, the attorney general’s office, which had initially promised to investigate and hold the officers accountable, declined to press charges against the shooters, and the CCRB shamefully found the killing to be “within NYPD guidelines.”

The New York Alliance is demanding “Fire and prosecute the cops who killed Eudes Pierre! Police out of mental health responses! Community control of the police now!

Pierre’s cousin, Sheina Banatte, spoke at Saturday’s campaign launch event on behalf of the Justice for Eudes Coalition, alongside Reverend Kevin McCall of the Crisis Action Center, and Sharif Hall, Treasurer for NYAARPR.

When asked what justice for Eudes Pierre looks like, Banatte explained, “true justice would be for Eudes to be here with us now. Second to that, the next highest form would be accountability.” Banatte also said that the campaign for the Eudes Pierre Law is another way to achieve some measure of justice.

“We want to transform how this city does mental health crisis response, so that nobody else gets killed like this. That is another kind of justice,” stated Banatte.

Sharif Hall added, “Eric Adams is also to blame, for continually increasing the police budget, and for working with the police commissioner to prevent any and all accountability.” Sharif also mentioned the case of Caesar Robinson, another Brooklyn-resident who was murdered in his own home by the police, after calling them himself because he thought he was being burglarized. Cases like these clearly show the need for community control over the NYPD.

Rev. McCall discussed a prior, five-day community patrol pilot program that his organization implemented in Brownsville, New York, in which community members responded to calls for assistance, rather than police. This example shows that “community control can happen, if we are organized enough to make it happen.” Rev. McCall also emphasized the importance of staying engaged in community activism, and the need to keep the pressure on elected officials.

Sheina closed out the event with a demand for more investment in community resources, for police to be removed from mental health crisis response, for more police accountability, and for justice for Eudes Pierre.

There will be an event to demand #PeersNotPolice on March 24, and a protest against New York State Attorney General Letitia James on March 31, to mark the two-year anniversary of her decision not to press charges against the officers who murdered Eudes.

#BrooklynNY #NY #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #KillerCops #NAARPR

Minneapolis – More than 100 people gathered at the New City Center for “We Keep Us Safe: A Teach-in on the Black History of Community Control of the Police,” hosted by Twin Cities Coalition for Justice (TCC4J) and Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO). The program featured panelists from National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression branches in different cities – all in various stages of the fight for local community control of the police.

Jae Yates, a leader in TCC4J, opened with a presentation on the Black history of community control. TCC4J is leading the campaign for an all-elected Civilian Police Accountability Commission (CPAC) to establish community control over Minneapolis police.

“At its core, community control of police is about giving power to the communities most-affected by police violence, often composed of the Black working class,” explained Yates. “TCC4J organizes for community control because we believe that’s the first step to dismantling the violent systems of policing and incarceration that are currently brutalizing and tearing apart our communities.”

Yates outlined the history of policing in the U.S., which started with slave patrols and so-called Black Codes to criminalize and repress Black people. They also described the period of Reconstruction, when Black people in the South had democratic community control over how the law was enforced and who enforced it. The end of Reconstruction also symbolized the end of Black political power, including control of law enforcement. Decades later, the Black Power movement revived the demand for community control of police. Yates also described historical connections between the Black liberation movement, and movements in support of gay liberation and Palestinian liberation.

Syd Loving, a national leader of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, spoke about the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR), from its founding in 1973. “The 80s and 90s were tough on the Black Liberation Movement. They killed our leaders, put our leaders in jail and repressed our movement.” During those years, most Alliance branches stopped operating. “The good news is the Alliance was refounded in 2019, and as of today we have 30 branches across the country. The beautiful message there is that the struggle for community control of police is alive across the country!”

Loving also described how the struggles for community control and for Black Liberation are part of “the broader struggle to pull up all forms of oppression and exploitation from the root. In FRSO we talk about our strategy for revolution, and it’s the united front against monopoly capitalism. At the core of that united front is the strategic alliance between the national liberation movements and the entire working class.”

She described how the coalition of the Alliance and other Black-led organizations with working with progressive labor unions was the key to victories in Chicago. “When we come together and recognize that we have a common enemy, that we have something to win, that takes us so much further on the road to pulling up monopoly capitalism from the root and building a world where everyone can be free.”

Toni Jones of New Orleans for Community Oversight of Police (NOCOP) described how she got involved in organizing: “The movement that had been spurred on by what happened in Minneapolis in 2020 was dying down. The nonprofits were saying things, but they weren’t fighting for anything. They weren’t standing up for our community. So I realized that I would have to be the fight that I wanted to see. We formed NOCOP to stand up for the community.” Jones added, “The end goal of this struggle was never about fighting the police. It’s fighting for power.”

Jones continued, “When we support community control it’s so we can get those police and move them out of our way, so we can directly take the fight to those in city hall, take the fight to those in the Pentagon, take the fight to those in White House, without worrying about our heads getting beaten in for supporting those that we love.”

Merawi Gerima, co-chair of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR) also got involved in the movement in 2020. “The George Floyd rebellion kicked off while I was up here, and I remember seeing a flyer for a National Day of Action with some organization with too many letters in the name. I ended up going. I had never seen anything like that in my life in downtown Chicago.” That organization was CAARPR, which Gerima joined. “The following year, the year that we were able to pass the ECPS [Empowering Communities for Public Safety] ordinance establishing these two bodies in our city which are the beginnings of community control of police in Chicago. It’s the most-advanced, democratic police accountability system in the country and it’s only just beginning.”

Panelists discussed how to respond to community fears that CPAC may stop cops from protecting them, or other concerns about community control of police. They explained that police departments aren’t showing data to prove that massive budgets (hundreds of millions of dollars in large cities) are reducing crime or solving cases.

Gerima said, “We’re fighting to hold the police accountable, for the things that they do, and the things that they don’t do in our communities. Black people are overpoliced and under protected and we want power to be able to change that.”

Gerima also warned listeners against putting a call for police abolition at the forefront, stating, “The fastest way to lose Black people on the Southside is to say we want to get rid of the police. And that’s not to say that it’s not a reasonable goal in the future. It’s to say that conditions right now don’t support that. Black people want to hold the police accountable, they want justice for the things that police do to them, they want them to be punished for the crimes that they commit against us and they want to be able to call them when they need them. The people that we need to win this fight understand the equation perfectly.”

When asked what motivates their commitment to keep working, Jones said, “I know that what’s at stake is the personal stories of the people that we meet in this work. They don’t get to hang up their struggles and the tears when they go home at night. They go to sleep thinking about whether they’ll ever get justice for their sons. If I keep them in mind, I know it’s way too soon to start calling it quits.”

In that spirit, Tiffany Jackson, sister of Allison Lussier, was invited to the stage after the panel discussion. Lussier, a native woman, was murdered by her boyfriend after the Minneapolis police failed to act on numerous 911 calls and orders for protection. Instead of investigating the case as a murder, MPD Chief O’Hara began a public smear campaign against Lussier. He claims her death was caused by a drug overdose, despite the medical examiner’s office saying they were unable to determine how Lussier died. Pressure from family and community supporters recently pushed the city council to order a formal audit of MPD’s handling of Lussier’s case.

Several activists stood beside Jackson, including Alissa Washington, of the Wrongfully Incarcerated and Over-sentenced Families Council-MN. Washington urged the crowd to keep an eye on this case, “We do need all nations to get together on this, you guys. We are Black, white, native up here. We need everybody to mobilize, because we don’t know what will happen.”

#MinneapolisMN #MN #OppressedNationalities #AfricanAmerican #BlackHistoryMonth #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #TCC4J #NAARPR

Los Angeles, CA – In East Los Angeles, the grassroots organization Centro CSO has been fighting to ban the Fort Apache logo that East Los Angeles Sheriff's deputies proudly wear on the front right pocket of their uniform. The logo is disrespectful to Chicanos, as it was created by deputy gang members from the Little Red Devils gang out of the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (ELASD) station to glorify their attacks on Raza.

The logo depicts a riot helmet on top of a combat boot with the words “Low Profile” and “Siempre Una Patada En Los Pantalones (Always A Kick In The Pants).” The East Los Angeles Sheriff's Deputies created this logo after beating and killing Chicanos during the Chicano Moratorium on August 29, 1970, in East Los Angeles. The Chicano Moratorium was a large Chicano march, and protest against police brutality as well as the Vietnam War, where countless Chicanos were being sent to the front lines to die in the name of U.S. imperialism. Chicanos demanded an end to the draft and the presence of military recruiters in schools.

The East Los Angeles sheriff's deputies were given orders by then acting Sheriff Peter J. Pitchess to keep a “low profile.” The deputies, who were mostly white and members of one of the first deputy gangs in Los Angeles, the “Little Red Devils,” ignored those orders and decided to attack. When it was all said and done, three Chicanos were dead, including Rubèn Salazar, an award winning journalist with the LA Times.

After the brutal attacks, the East Los Angeles Sheriff deputies created the Fort Apache logo as an unofficial logo for the station. The emblem also takes inspiration from the movie Fort Apache by John Ford as the East Los Angeles Sheriff’s deputies see themselves as an occupying force surrounded by “savages.” In this case, the savages are the working-class Chicanos of East LA.

After the 1970 Chicano Moratorium, the Fort Apache logo was used at the East Los Angeles Sheriff's Department Station. In 2016, then sheriff Jim McDonnell, who himself collaborated with ICE and turned over thousands of Chicanos to ICE during his time as sheriff, banned it. Even McDonnell acknowledged in his own words that the station logo was “disrespectful to the East Los Angeles community”

Sheriff Alex Villanueva, who served from 2018 until 2022, brought the logo back. It’s important to note that under the “leadership” of Sheriff Villanueva the deputy gang problem grew larger all over LA County, as Alex Villanueva is a rumored leader of the Banditos deputy gang.

The fight to eliminate the Fort Apache logo reignited in October 2024, after East LA Sheriff’s deputies teargassed Centro CSO members and Raza from East Los Angeles, including women and children, who were celebrating in their barrio the Dodgers' NLCS pennant victory.

During the attack, the East LA Sheriff’s deputies were wearing Fort Apache pins on their shirts.

In the days after the incident, Centro CSO organized and mobilized. They put out a statement condemning the attack. They also publicized eyewitness videos of the attack on social media. They organized a press conference right outside the ELASD station along with local organizers like Lorraine Quinones, who has been actively fighting for the right to cruise without being harassed by ELASD deputies. Other Chicanos who were hurt during the ELASD attack on Raza were also in attendance demanding justice.

After the press conference, Centro CSO continued the fight against ELASD by holding regular police accountability committee meetings, doing outreach in the barrio of East Los Angeles, and talking about the need to ban the Fort Apache logo.

Centro CSO held an educational event going over the history of deputy gangs in ELASD with the main focus of educating Chicanos on the Fort Apache logo and how Centro CSO is fighting to ban it.

In late December, Centro CSO found out that their hard work was paying off. The Civilian Oversight Commission, which is appointed by the LA County Board of Supervisors to oversee the Los Angeles Sheriff's department, was going to hold a town hall in East Los Angeles to discuss the brutal repression of Chicanos by Sheriff’s deputies during the Dodger celebration and the use of the Fort Apache logo.

Centro CSO mobilized to get the world out and has been seen tabling and flyering all over East Los Angeles for months in order to talk to Raza, who in many instances are well aware of the deputy gangs in East Los Angeles as they themselves have experienced oppression first hand.

“It’s clear that the Fort Apache logo must be banned. Raza from East Los has been demanding it but LASD Is dragging its feet. This makes the argument for community control of ELASD clear! Our barrio should have power over the deputies that patrol our neighborhood,” says Gabriel Quiroz Jr, one of the co-chairs of the Police Accountability Committee of Centro CSO.

The Fort Apache logo is more than just a logo to Chicanos in East Los Angeles, as they see it as a symbol of the oppression Chicanos go through at the hands of police. For 55 years the logo has been active.

If you would like to attend the town hall on the brutal repression of Chicanos by ELASD and the use of the Fort Apache logo, it will take place on February 27, at 6 p.m. at the East Los Angeles Service Center, which is located at 133 N Sunol Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90063.

Centro CSO is a grassroots organization in Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles that fights for public education, Legalization for All and Community Control of Police. Centro CSO is also an affiliate of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR). You can reach them at CentroCSO@gmail.com and/ or on Facebook, X, Instagram and Tik Tok under the username CENTROCSO.

#LosAngelesCA #CA #OppressedNationalities #ChicanoLatino #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #CentroCSO #Feature

Los Angeles, CA – Chicano high school students took to the streets, February 20, to protest Trump's ICE raids, arrests, and deportations. All over the city, LAUSD students walked out of school chanting “Stop Donald Trump” and “Raza si, migra no.”

Centro CSO organizers supported East LA students at Garfield High School (GHS) by providing sound, large banners and snacks on the warm day. Gabriel Quiroz Jr led chants with the energetic students like, “Viva La Raza, viva Mexico!”

The GHS students marched to Torres High School to unite the march with more students. The march continued in the heart of East LA with many neighbors waving and honking their horns in support.

The marchers arrived at Mariachi Plaza where students from over six high schools had already arrived for an energetic rally. SEIU 721 provided a large truck and sound system. Many students spoke, denouncing Trump and ICE, expressing support for their families and community.

Longtime Chicano revolutionary Carlos Montes also participated in the march, being a graduate of GHS and a leader in the original ELA high school walkout of March 1968. “I have to be here with you to say no deportations,” stated Montes.

During the rally several LAPD police officers attempted to quickly enter the plaza, but they were met by several safety monitors wearing bright yellow vests asking police not to enter the plaza as this was a well-organized event. One of the LAPD officers, Johnny Altamirano aggressively pushed and knocked down Felipe Cazares, director of external organizing for SEIU 721, who has provided support for the students for the last two weeks. Felipe was laid flat on the sidewalk.

More safety monitors formed a line in front of the police in an attempt to de-escalate the situation. But officer Altamirano called for backup until over 20 police arrived, many wearing helmets and batons. The safety monitors held their line and asked the students to continue the rally and ignore the police. Eventually the police left, and the rally continued without any further incident. Felipe Cazares was taken to the LA General Hospital and released shaken, bruised but not deterred to support our students and community.

#LosAngelesCA #SEIU721 #ELA #GHS #LA #chicano #vivalaraza #Immigration #ImmigrantRights #legalization4all #legalizationforall #nodeportations #ICE #policecrimes

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

Newport Beach, CA – Oficiales del Departamento de Policía de Santa Ana (SAPD, por sus siglas en inglés) persiguieron y luego mataron a José Velásquez, de 45 años, en Newport Beach el sábado 1 de febrero, alrededor de las 7 a.m.

Al menos siete patrullas y un helicóptero policial persiguieron a un vehículo hasta el muelle de Newport, con los policías llegando con las puertas de sus patrullas ya abiertas y con las armas en la mano mientras desaceleraban hasta detenerse. Dispararon más de una docena de tiros antes de dar cualquier orden verbal y antes de que muchos espectadores tuvieron tiempo de huir del muelle.

Los espectadores dijeron que Velásquez conducía tranquilamente y no parecía tener intención de lastimar a nadie. También describieron haber sentido miedo cuando comenzaron los disparos y tener que proteger a sus hijos, y sentirse traumatizados después.

El SAPD declaró que Velásquez era sospechoso de un homicidio en Menifee, California, en su intento por justificar el tiroteo imprudente. El SAPD lo persiguió desde Santa Ana hasta Newport Beach después de recibir una llamada por asistencia del Departamento de Policía de Menifee.

Junto con los dos departamentos de policía, estaba presente un camión de la oficina del fiscal de distrito (DA, por sus siglas en inglés) del condado de Orange. Cuando miembros de la Organización de Servicio Comunitario del Condado de Orange (CSO OC, por sus siglas en inglés) intentaron hacer preguntas, el personal del DA no fue claro sobre el motivo de su presencia y refirieron a los miembros al Departamento de Policía de Newport.

El SAPD alega que se recuperó un arma de fuego, pero el Departamento de Policía de Newport (NPD, por sus siglas en inglés) también bloqueó el acceso público a todo el muelle, haciendo imposible que el público observara la escena. La policía también tiene un historial de hacer alegaciones falsas sobre sospechosos que portan armas de fuego – por ejemplo, en los casos de Steve Salgado, asesinado por el SAPD en enero de 2017 y Brandon López, asesinado por el Departamento de Policía de Anaheim en 2021.

Este es el segundo asesinato cometido por el SAPD en sólo 62 días. Noe Rodríguez fue asesinado el 1 de diciembre de 2024. La policía llegó al lugar después de recibir una llamada sobre un hombre con un rifle caminando en el centro de Santa Ana. Llegó la policía y, en menos de cuatro minutos, comenzó a disparar casi 30 balas contra Rodríguez. El objeto que sostenía resultó ser una réplica. No intentaron desescalar la situación y dieron órdenes sólo en inglés, a pesar de que Rodríguez solo hablaba español.

Miembros de CSO OC acudieron al lugar para investigar ambos tiroteos y hablar con los testigos. Si sabe más sobre lo que sucedido o tiene evidencia, o si conoce a la familia de José Velásquez, comuníquese con CSO OC al 714-367-6350 o en Instagram @cso.oc.

En ambos casos, el SAPD reveló información mínima sobre los tiroteos y ninguna información sobre los oficiales involucrados. CSO OC está construyendo una campaña para exigir transparencia al departamento de policía de Santa Ana, llamada la Campaña 24/48.

David Pulido de CSO OC declaró: “Estamos exigiendo que los nombres de los oficiales involucrados se divulguen dentro de las 24 horas posteriores a un incidente crítico y que el video sin editar se publique dentro de las 48 horas. Las familias merecen algo mejor cuando sus seres queridos son asesinados o lastimados. Merecen saber qué sucedió y quién es responsable”. Si estás interesado en unirte a este esfuerzo para exigir transparencia al departamento de policía, comuníquese con CSO OC.

#NewportBeachCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #KillerCops #CSOOC

Tampa FL – On Tuesday, February 4, over 40 people came out to listen to a panel hosted by Tampa Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (TAARPR) and led by the families who survived police crimes.

The event was part of a weeklong series of events that honor the life of Andrew Joseph III – a 14-year-old boy who was killed in traffic after he was kidnapped by Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies in February 2014 – and the struggle for justice and accountability being fought in his name.

The panelists speaking were Deanna Joseph of Tampa, mother of Andrew Joseph III and board member of the Andrew Joseph Foundation; Kieanna Garrett of Lakeland, who is currently fighting her charges after being stalked for months then brutalized by Lakeland PD; and Jasmine Smith, a member of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR) , who flew from Chicago for the panel, and has been fighting to free her family and others who were wrongly incarcerated.

During the panel Joseph said “You don’t want to wait to be in the shoes that I’m in before you get involved. You don’t want it to knock on your door before you say, ‘enough is enough.’ You want to be at the forefront of whatever your passion is. Everybody should be doing something.”

One of the main fights of the Andrew Joseph Foundation is to end qualified immunity, which grants police and the officials surrounding them protection from the rule of law whenever they harm people in our communities.

“They are the criminals. The state attorneys and the judges and the police officers all have qualified immunity. They’re all protected by some type of qualified immunity where if they are to be caught up in corruption, they’re not being held accountable.” said Joseph.

In her time in CAARPR, Joseph played a role in helping pass the legislation which created a democratically elected board that is able to help decide police policy and leadership in the city of Chicago.

The panelists presented a message for greater police accountability and uniting to make that accountability a reality.

#TampaFL #FL #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #KillerCops #NAARPR #TAARPR

New Orleans, LA – On Sunday, February 9, the family of Glenn Foster Jr hosted a press conference at noon in front of the Hale Boggs Federal Building in downtown New Orleans. As media came to town to cover the Super Bowl, Glenn’s mother, Sabrina Foster, seized the moment to bring light on her son.

Glenn Foster Jr was a professional football player who was found dead in police custody in 2021 after a traffic stop.

The conference began with chants demanding “We want answers! We want justice!” Then, Sabrina Foster told Glenn’s story: “I would like everyone to ask the question: What happened to NFL Saints player Glenn Foster Jr?”

Glenn Foster Jr. was traveling from New Orleans to Atlanta when he was pulled over for allegedly speeding in Pickens County, Alabama. He was then handcuffed, tased and put in jail. Three days later, on December 6, 2021, Foster was found dead in the back of a police car as police were transporting him. Speaking of the police who killed her son, Sabrina Foster said, “They don’t know who Glenn’s momma is. Just because it hasn’t been in the news doesn’t mean that we ain’t gonna come after you!”

Police and a state autopsy said Glenn Jr. died of natural causes due to a heart attack. But the 31-year-old athlete was in excellent health and had no prior history of heart disease according to the family.

“When I saw my son’s body with the wounds around his neck, and I saw the state autopsy say he died of natural causes, [I knew it was] a pack of lies,” said Glenn Foster Sr.

A second independent autopsy revealed evidence of strangulation, torture, and that Foster Jr. was repeatedly tased. “They say justice is blind. Not if you’re Black! The cops abused their authority and they took my son’s life,” exclaimed Foster Sr.

The family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit that was approved to move forward at the end of 2024. While they continue with legal proceedings, they ask the public to learn about their son’s case and uplift his story on social media.

The Fosters have also recently started a New Orleans chapter of Black Lives Matter Grassroots to continue the fight for their son and other families victimized by police brutality. For more information, follow @blm_nola on Instagram.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #KillerCops #BLM

Newport Beach, CA – Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) officers chased and then killed 45-year-old Jose Velasquez in Newport Beach Saturday, February 1, at about 7 a.m.

At least seven police cruisers and one police helicopter pursued a vehicle onto Newport pier, with police pulling up with their squad car doors already open and guns drawn as they slowed to a stop. They fired over a dozen shots before issuing any verbal commands and before many bystanders had time to flee the pier.

Bystanders said Velasquez was driving calmly and didn’t seem to have an intention of hurting anybody. They also described feeling fear as gunshots started and having to shield their children, and feeling traumatized after.

SAPD stated Velasquez was a Menifee, California homicide suspect, in their attempt to justify the reckless shooting. SAPD chased him from Santa Ana all the way to Newport Beach after receiving a call to assist from the Menifee Police Department.

Along with the two police departments, an Orange County district attorney’s office truck was present. When members of Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) tried to ask questions, DA’s people were not clear about their reason was in being there and they referred members to the Newport Police Department.

SAPD claims a firearm was recovered, but Newport Police Department (NPD) also blocked public access to the entire pier, making public view of the scene impossible. Police also have a history of making false claims about suspects having firearms – for example, in the cases of Steve Salgado, killed by SAPD in January 2017 and Brandon Lopez, killed by Anaheim PD in 2021.

This is SAPD’s second killing in only 62 days. Noe Rodriguez was killed on December 1, 2024. Police arrived on the scene after being called about a man with a rifle walking in downtown Santa Ana. Police arrived and in less than four minutes began shooting nearly 30 rounds at Rodriguez. The item he was holding turned out to be a replica. They did not try to de-escalate the situation, and they gave commands only in English, although Rodriguez spoke only Spanish.

Members of CSO OC went to the site to investigate both shootings and talk to witnesses. If you know more about what happened and have evidence, or if you know the family of Jose Velasquez, contact CSO OC at 714-367-6350 or on Instagram @cso.oc.

In both cases, SAPD revealed minimal information about the shootings and no information about the officers involved. CSO OC is building a campaign to demand transparency from Santa Ana's police department, called the 24/48 Campaign.

David Pulido of CSO OC stated, “We are demanding that the names of the officers involved are released within 24 hours of a critical incident and unedited video released within 48 hours. Families deserve better when their loved ones are killed or hurt. They deserve to know what happened and who is responsible.” If you are interested in joining this effort to demand transparency from the police department, contact CSO OC.

#NewportBeachCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #CSOOC #KillerCops

Aurora, CO – On January 18, despite the cold and snowy weather, the Denver Aurora Community Action Committee (DACAC) and community members gathered outside the Aurora Police Department headquarters to demand transparency and justice.

In the past few years, the Aurora Police Department (APD) has killed at least three unarmed Black men – Jordell Richardson, Kilyn Lewis, and Kory Dillard – and has brutalized dozens of other community members, such as Te’Erica Mosle, who was recording police harassing an unarmed Black man, only to be assaulted herself by the police.

APD has a history of racist police violence and terrorizing community members, and yet, DACAC members say, there has not been accountability or justice. The previous district attorney, John Kellner, has refused to press charges, claiming that the police have been justified in their actions. They have refused to release the full unedited footage of any of the incidents mentioned, and in some cases have demanded expensive fees for the information and footage.

DACAC and community members picketed outside of the APD headquarters shouting “Transparency, transparency! Free the footage, let us see!” and “When killer cops are on patrol, what do we need? Community control!” DACAC and members of the community demand that APD release full unedited body cam footage.

Tristen McFarland, a member of DACAC said in her speech at the picket, “We are not here with suggestions; we are here with demands, and, until our demands are met, we will be back. Over these past few years, each of the officers that have pulled the trigger has had a case brought to District Attorney John Kellner’s desk, and each case subsequently dropped. To date each of them has been put back on their full shift, gun back in their hands, their boots back onto our streets. We demand you hold the officers accountable, make all the body cam footage immediately available to the public free of charge, regardless of case status, and instate community control over the police.”

Khalid Hamu, a member of Denver Students for a Democratic Society, spoke about how, after Trump was elected in 2016, many people in the Latino community, “felt like no one cared about them, and that's really messed up. When you see ICE working with APD, they can't even follow the laws that this racist system puts on them! If they aren't even following those laws, how can we expect Latino people to not be scared?” Hamu then quoted Frank Chapman, chair of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, stating “Our oppression is not our fault, but to fight back is our responsibility – It’s our responsibility to make sure those things change, and we need as many people as possible to make this change a reality! If we don't do anything, then who is going to do it?”

Paul Nelson, a member of DACAC, highlighted the Aurora Police “denying every legal request we made of them to reveal their actions, but each request we give to get the body cam footage they have is illegally denied. They claim some farcical defense of this, in that they’re ‘conducting an investigation,’ but like with the case of Elijah McClain, we see in the conclusion of all of it that they let the murderers off scot-free. So are we going to wait years while they prepare to do just that? No, we’re not going to wait, we’re holding them to account!”

Nelson added, “People can pass what's called a citizen initiative in Aurora, where it doesn't matter what our racist city council thinks; the citizens of Aurora can get together and pass the citizens’ initiative and vote on it. No more cops policing cops. No more police officers finding themselves to be innocent of all charges. This police department needs to be put in check by the people and a Civilian Police Accountability Council!”

The picket concluded with the community chanting “Power to the people!”

#AuroraCO #CO #InJusticeSystem #NAARPR #PoliceCrimes #CommunityControlOfPolice

Tallahassee, FL – On Jan. 15, the Tallahassee City Commission held a final public hearing on Ordinance No. 24-O-40, which is for the creation of the Citizens Police Review Board (CPRB). The Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC), along with other community members came out to oppose the dissolution of the CPRB ordinance.

The CPRB has existed since the George Floyd movement in 2020, and was originally established by John Dailey, Tallahassee’s mayor. According to the city of Tallahassee website, the Citizens Police Review Board was created to “review completed Tallahassee Police Department internal affairs reports, cases, and issues relating to law enforcement that are important or of interest to the community and the City, and to increase and demonstrate police accountability and credibility with the public.”

After the passing of Florida House Bill 601 by Republican Wyman Duggan, civilian review boards across the state of Florida have been systematically dismantled by city leaderships. Although the city of Tallahassee claims that they are being legally forced to get rid of the review board, organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) disagree. In amemo released to multiple cities in Florida, the ACLU states that “the legislation (HB 601) as enacted has little or no practical effect on existing citizen-review panels in Florida’ and does not require boards to disband.”

Despite this, the Tallahassee city commission decided to hold a final vote on the CPRB, claiming that HB 601 made the CPRB ordinance illegal. About a dozen community members gathered to speak in favor of keeping the CPRB ordinance, including former city commission candidate Dot Inman Johnson and ACLU statewide organizer Madeline Bowman.

“We have seen in Florida a rise in this anti-democratic legislation aimed to suppress free speech,” said Bowman, who argued that the city had no real legal responsibility to disband Tallahassee’s review board.

“The fact that one of the things brought forward is the elimination of accountability in the police department is concerning to me,” said Dot Inman-Johnson, who ran against Curtis Richardson in the recent local election.

Other community members and organizations argued the need for police accountability and civilian oversight, trying to showcase the need for the board to continue to exist.

“The implementation of the CPRB was a demand of the people of Tallahassee,” said Thomas Speirs, a member of TCAC.

Before the final vote on the CPRB, both City Commissioners Jack Porter and Jeremy Matlow spoke about their disapproval of removing the ordinance. Matlow talked about the need for community oversight for not just the public, but also the city of Tallahassee leadership.

After a 3-2 vote, with City Commissioners Porter and Matlow voting to keep the ordinance and Mayor Dailey and Commissioners Curtis Richardson and Dianne Williams-Cox voting to remove it, the ordinance was officially dissolved by the city.

Despite this being a setback for police accountability, Tallahassee activists vowed that they would keep fighting for police accountability no matter what. TCAC intends to center their next campaign on the 2025 police budget, and fight for funding to go to affordable housing, transportation access and social services, instead of increased policing.

“No matter what happens, the community will continue organizing against police brutality. The names and histories of Tony McDade, Mychael Johnson, Wilbon Woodard, and Raheem Reeder will live on. We will keep organizing for Calvin Riley and fight for him to get justice. If we don’t struggle, we won’t win,” said Delilah Pierre, President of TCAC.

#TallahasseeFL #Tally #TCAC #PoliceAccountability #CPRB #ACLU #PoliceCrimes

Several of these COs have histories abusing prisoners within New York jails and prisons. CO Anthony Farina and Sergeant Glenn Trombly were both involved in the assault of William Alvarez in 2020. Trombly was also involved in beating Equarn White, which put White in a wheelchair. CO Nicholas Anzalone was involved in an attack on Adam Bauer, which left him with a large gash on his head after the CO hit him with a clipboard. The murder of Robert Brooks is not an isolated act but the latest in a history of violence and abuse by these guards

The killing of Robert Brooks is the latest in a series of abuses in jails across the country. In August 2024, a dozen Black men set themselves on fires to escape torturous conditions at Virginia’s Red Onion supermax prison. Conditions included putting prisoners in solitary confinement for as long as 14 years and using attack dogs on the prisoners who spoke out against abuses. In Atlanta, Georgia, the Fulton County Jail has seen nearly 30 deaths since 2023. Many were due to overcrowding and medical neglect, which ranged from people not being given their seizure medication to others being overdosed by the onsite doctors.

#AtlantaGA #GA #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #KillerCops

Community Service Organization, Orange County (CSO OC) has begun investigating the shooting, door knocking in the area to find out more information. The organization hopes to find the victim’s family to support them in their struggle for justice.

This police killing is similar to the recent killing of Noe Rodriguez Martinez, also in his 30s, by Santa Ana Police Department on December 1 near Broadway and 1st Street. The scene of his murder is still scarred with nearly 30 bullet holes where police sprayed him with gunfire for allegedly holding a non-lethal airsoft gun. Similarly, the names of the officers and more details about the killing have not been released.

These killings and the lack of information released to the public regarding them highlight Orange County’s lack of police accountability and transparency. While both Santa Ana and Anaheim have police oversight bodies, they currently lack the power to hold police accountable when they kill. CSO OC is in the process of building a campaign in Santa Ana to demand transparency and accountability, including releasing officer names after police killings.

If you have any information regarding either shooting or you are interested in being involved in the campaign, you can call CSO OC’s hotline at 714-367-6350 or contact them via social media @cso.oc on Instagram and Orange County CSO on Facebook.

#AnaheimCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #PoliceBrutality #KillerCops #CSOOC

On Monday December 23rd, Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 37 out of 40 federal inmates who had been on death row. These 37, including the killer cop Len Davis, will now serve life in prison without parole. The three that did not have their sentences commuted were excluded because they were convicted of crimes of terror.

The move to commute sentences by the lame duck president was the result of pressure from the prison reform movement. However, the inclusion of Len Davis, a killer cop responsible for the wrongful incarceration of at least 5 Black men and the murder of Kim Groves, is not justice. The fact that this decision was made the day before Christmas Eve and without the consultation of the Groves family was inconsiderate, wrong, and harmful.

Who is Len Davis, the “Desire Terrorist”?

Len Davis is a former NOPD officer convicted in 1994 for the murder of Kim Groves after he orchestrated Kim’s assassination in retaliation for her reporting Len Davis for police brutality against a minor. Despite Joe Biden’s decision, Len Davis is still known by the community as the “Desire Terrorist”. This is reflected in a statement by the current New Orleans DA Jason Williams who stated that “Davis was inflicting a ring of terror in his community, [he] was engaged in narcotics trafficking, murder, murder for hire, protecting certain drug dealers”.

Len Davis did not act alone, he collaborated with a network of dirty cops within a corrupt system that enabled him. Len Davis was a monster created by a New Orleans Police Department that routinely violated the civil rights of Black People then and today. Davis was able to abuse the lack of oversight to hide his crimes. If not for the FBI investigation into an NOPD drug dealing scheme, he might not have ever been arrested. Many years later the NOPD still fails to meet constitutional standards and remains under a federal consent decree.

Len Davis also worked within a broken justice system that wrongly sent at least 5 Black men to prison for decades. Bernell Juluke, Kunta Gable, Leroy Nelson, Dwayne LeBlanc, and Sherman Singleton were all wrongfully incarcerated for murder, because of Davis. They were only released after spending a majority of their life fighting to prove their innocence from behind bars.

A word about Kim Groves

Kim Groves was not just a name. She was a mother who was loved by her community and is still loved by her family today. Kim was a single mother of three who was preparing for her daughter Jasmine’s birthday when she was taken from her kids.

When Len Davis targeted Kim, the only thing that she had done wrong was trust that it would be safe to file a complaint with the NOPD about police brutality. Kim filed her complaint after witnessing and intervening when she saw Len Davis and another officer beating on Nathan Norwood, a neighborhood child she knew. By standing up to injustice Kim embodied the kind of hero that we should all aspire to be.

Her daughter Jasmine Groves is the greatest testament to Kim’s spirit. Jasmine is a leader in her community, an advocate for families of police brutality victims and a beloved member of New Orleans for Community Oversight of the Police (NOCOP). After her mother’s death Jasmine led the charge to get justice for her mom and keep her memory alive. Due to an uncaring system and constant appeals by Len Davis it took 24 years for the city to settle a civil suit with the family.

Joe Biden Does Not Care

The Black liberation movement has fought to end the death penalty, because it is an unjust mechanism and a part of the cruel legacy of the lynching of Black men in America. Len Davis is himself a living embodiment of that terror and was the first person to be sentenced to death for a civil rights violation.

That sentencing was correct in 1994, and in 2005 when Davis was re-sentenced and is still correct today if we follow Biden’s logic. Joe Biden’s argument being that terror is the exception by which someone should be kept on death row.

This decision is a reflection of Joe Biden’s lackluster use of his clemency powers. Joe Biden has failed to use these powers to pardon political prisoners like Leonard Peltier. He failed to speak up on behalf of Black Political prisoners like Mumia Abu-Jamal, or men like Marcellus Williams who was executed in Missouri without comment from Biden.

Biden’s decision to commute Len Davis this close to the holidays without consulting the Groves family is inconsiderate and wrong. Jasmine, who had just this year held a final memorial for her mother on the 30th anniversary of her death, now has to consider another obstacle to finding closure.

We Demand Justice

While it may be impossible to reverse Biden’s decision to commute Len Davis’s sentence there is still justice to be done:

Biden must use his clemency powers for justice.

-Pardon Leonard Peltier and all political prisoners in federal prison.

Biden can and should speak up for political prisoners like Mumia Abu-Jamal.

The DOJ must indict and convict killer cops, when police departments fail to do so.

-The DOJ must indict Kory York, Chris Harpin and all of Ronald Greene’s killers for murder

#NewOrleansLA #LA #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes

Colorado Springs, CO – On December 13, at approximately 9:40 p.m., an unidentified man called 911 stating he was suicidal and had a firearm. By the time El Paso County sheriffs responded, an hour later, they could not find the man, as he had made his way to the parking lot of a local business. Colorado Springs Police claim the man refused to comply with demands to drop his weapon, and the police eventually shot and killed him.

There was no point in the night where the man was able to get the help he clearly desperately needed. It is unclear at this moment what factors drove the man to seek help by calling the police, but their late arrival and the violent conclusion to the situation is indicative of a police force ill-equipped and unable to de-escalate during mental health crises. Without actual, formalized oversight from the community, situations like this will continue to happen.

As of now, the name of the man has not been released, and no body cam footage has been made available. Colorado is currently on track to see its deadliest year since 2020 as far as police killings.

#ColoradoSpringsCO #CO #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #PoliceBrutality #KillerCops

New Orleans, LA – On Tuesday, December 16, over 30 supporters packed the Orleans Parish Criminal Court in support of the Johnston family, who faced their first day of trial for false felony kidnapping charges. At the request of the family, supporters showed up in blue to show solidarity in demanding justice for Jrue Kenner.

During a summer visitation in 2023, Jrue told medical professionals and his mother that he was repeatedly sexually molested by his father. Like any mother would, Jaime went to the police for help. Each time she attempted to report the crime of sexual abuse, the NOPD arrested her. Ultimately, her entire family was arrested and jailed on over $200,000 bond.

Jaime Johnston is charged with principal to simple kidnapping, and her mother and father, Phyllis and Gerard Johnston, are charged with simple kidnapping. Before the trial began, the charges that prosecutors brought against Jaime’s partner were dropped.

In opening arguments, the Johnstons’ defense argued that the Johnston family should be acquitted because any time Jaime Johnston had Jrue in her custody, she was legally allowed to do so by court ordered protection for her son. On September 29, 2023, the night that Jaime was arrested and jailed on false kidnapping charges, Jrue was still under the protection of a restraining order against his father for sexual assault. This order was still in place until 11:59 p.m. on September 29. Jaime was arrested at 8.p.m that night.

State prosecution called five witnesses to the stand, including NOPD Officer Kristendant Alvarado, who was responsible for putting the arrest warrant out on the Johnstons. During the defense’s cross-examination, Alvarado admitted he did not know or did not recall knowing that there was a protective restraining order for Jrue at the time of the family’s arrest. Alvarado’s admittance reveals NOPD’s negligence of proper documentation and investigation before destroying this family.

The trial will continue on January 21, 2025, at 2 p.m. in Section A of Orleans Parish Criminal Court. Supporters should once again wear blue to pack the court and support the family in demanding #JusticeforJrue.

#NewOrleansLA #LA #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #JusticeforJrue

Santa Ana, CA — El 1 de diciembre, dos oficiales del Departamento de Policía de Santa Ana (SAPD) dispararon y mataron a un hombre en el centro de Santa Ana cerca de Broadway y calle 2. SAPD declara que la gente llamó para informar de que un hombre estaba cargando un rifle. Casi 30 agujeros de balas marcan la pared donde le dispararon por sostener lo que resultó ser una pistola de aire comprimido no letal.

El nombre de la víctima no ha sido publicado pero reportes han dicho que el hombre era “hispano”, en sus treintas y declarado muerto cuando llegó al hospital.

El próximo día, miembros de la Organización de Servicio Comunitario en Orange County (CSO OC) empezaron a distribuir volantes para alcanzar la familia de la víctima y crear conciencia sobre el asesinato. Mucha gente camina en Broadway sin saber que pasan un sitio de ejecución.

Menos personas saben del sitio a solo una cuadra de distancia en el estacionamiento de CVS, donde SAPD asesinó a Miguel Chavez en 2022, un inmigrante salvadoreño desarmado. Al menos ocho oficiales persiguieron su vehículo hacia el estacionamiento y lo rodearon con las armas en la mano. Los oficiales Jonathan Chavez y Sean Anthis dispararon tres balas de “poca letal” hacia Miguel Chavez, y el oficial Mark Shifflett mandó su perro policial contra él. Chavez murió dos días después por las mordidas. La muerte fue declarada un homicidio por el forense, pero los tres oficiales fueron exonerados de toda culpabilidad por el Fiscal de Orange County, Todd Spitzer, dos años después del asesinato.

En Santa Ana, la policía está en gran parte protegida de la responsabilidad. Los “Reportes Criticales de Incidentes” que ellos deben compartir dentro de 45 días suelen difamar a la víctima y justifican las acciones de la policía. Aunque Miguel Chavez no tenía record criminal ni historial de consumo de drogas que pudieran usar en su contra, los oficiales decían que vieron un arma, pero no se encontró ninguna. Mientras tanto, estos reportes no requieren que se compartan los nombres de los oficiales. Como resultado, cuando las familias afectadas y el público están más desesperados por respuestas, no se enteran de qué oficiales son responsables ni de su historial de violencia.

Por eso, CSO OC está en el proceso de crear una campaña para exigir que el SAPD publique los nombres de los oficiales después de que la policía mata a alguien. Rain Mendoza, miembro de CSO, dijo, “Nuestra demanda proviene de las familias afectadas y de nuestro estudio sobre la política policial en Santa Ana. La demanda es parte del proceso paso-a-paso en el que les quitamos el poder a los policías que nos reprimen y nos matan, y devolvemos ese poder al pueblo.”

Para participar en la campaña de CSO OC por la rendición de cuentas de la policía, comunícate con nosotros a través de nuestras redes sociales @cso.oc en Instagram, Orange County CSO en Facebook, o envíanos un correo electrónico a orangecountycso@gmail.com.

#SantaAnaCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #CSOOC