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  1. TopTop #1
    Shepherd's Avatar
    Shepherd
     

    Sheriff's kill middle school student

    Cook Middle School students, staff remember boy shot, killed by sheriff's deputies.
    I understand that something is being planned for Saturday.
    -Shepherd.




    Photos of eighth grader Andy Lopez were taped to a window at Cook Middle School in Santa Rosa on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013. Lopez was killed by Sonoma County sheriff's deputies on Tuesday. (BETH SCHLANKER/ PD)

    A makeshift memorial grew Wednesday for a Santa Rosa eighth grader who was shot and killed by two Sonoma County sheriff's deputies Tuesday while carrying a fake rifle through a southwest Santa Rosa neighborhood.

    A plastic toy gun, along with stuffed animals, candles and flowers, were left near a vacant lot where Andy Lopez, 13, died Tuesday.

    Students and staff at Cook Middle School struggled with news of Lopez's death. Lopez, who played trumpet in the school band, was well known and well liked at Cook Middle School, Assistant Principal Linsey Gannon said.

    “He was a very popular student, very smart, very capable,” Gannon said.

    Lopez, 13, went to Cook for seventh grade and had attended the Sebastopol Road school until Friday. This week, Lopez transferred to Lewis Opportunity School, a small alternative school in the Santa Rosa School District, school officials said.

    “We're having a tough day,” Gannon said. “Our community has been rocked by this tragedy.”

    With news of his death, school officials activated their crisis intervention plan. Grief counselors and therapy dogs were at the school Wednesday morning, part of a series of activities aimed at helping students and staff, she said.

    Evidence of grief and shock was palpable throughout the school.

    Some students cried. One collection of students huddled together near the campus flag pole in a large group hug. Photos of Lopez appeared on an office window.

    Gannon announced Lopez's death in a morning message to the school population. Counselors were available to meet one-on-one with students who wanted to talk about what had happened.

    The deadly encounter began around 3 p.m. Tuesday when two deputies on patrol spotted a person at the intersection of Moorland and West Robles avenues. He was carrying what officials later called a replica of an assault rifle.

    The deputies stopped and repeatedly told him to put down the weapon. Within seconds several shots were fired.
    The youth was hit repeatedly and died at the scene.

    Santa Rosa and Petaluma police detectives are investigating the shooting. Interviews were conducted throughout the night, said Santa Rosa Lt. Paul Henry.

    Police officials were meeting Wednesday morning to get debriefed on the investigation and then planned to release more information, Henry said.

    Sheriff's officials early Wednesday declined to comment on the case, referring questions to Santa Rosa police.

    The names of the deputies involved also haven't been released. They've been placed on administrative leave, which is standard in such cases.
    Last edited by Barry; 10-24-2013 at 01:33 PM.
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  2. TopTop #2
    Shepherd's Avatar
    Shepherd
     

    Re: Sheriff's kill middle school student

    More details on the killing of yet another Latino youth in Santa Rosa follow, also from the PD. There is an active online discussion both questioning and defending the police.

    To all: Here is a clearer version of the story about yesterday's killing of a 13 year old boy by Sonoma County Sheriff Dept. Sorry I couldn't format this better but it wouldn't cooperate. (hate damn stupid computers!) Thanks to Wayne for sending a more complete version. MM


    Deputies kill SR boy, 13

    TEEN CONFRONTED CARRYING RIFLE, WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE FAKE


    By MARTIN ESPINOZA


    THE PRESS DEMOCRAT


    Sonoma County sheriff’s deputies shot and killed a 13-year-old boy Tuesday afternoon during an encounter in a southwest Santa Rosa neighborhood.

    The boy’s father, Rodrigo Lopez, identified the teen as Andy Lopez and said he had been carrying a toy gun that belonged to a friend.

    It was unclear Tuesday whether the rifle, which sheriff’s officials characterized as a replica, was capable of firing BBs or other projectiles.

    Rodrigo Lopez said the last time he saw his son was Tuesday morning before he left for work.

    “I told him what I tell him every day,” he said in Spanish, standing in the doorway of his mobile home near Moorland Avenue and Todd Road. “Behave yourself.”

    The family had just returned home at about 9:15 p.m. from identifying Andy Lopez’s body.

    The boy’s mother, Sujey Annel Cruz Cazarez, was grief-stricken in the living room.

    “Why did they kill him? Why?” she said.

    At 3 p.m., two sheriff’s deputies patrolling in the area of Moorland and West Robles avenues observed Lopez walking with what sheriff’s officials said appeared to be some type of rifle.

    The deputies called for backup and repeatedly ordered the boy to drop the rifle, Sheriff’s Lt. Dennis O’Leary said in a news release.

    At some point after the deputies told Lopez to drop the rifle, they fired several rounds from their handguns at the boy, who was hit multiple times, O’Leary said.

    After telling Lopez to move away from the rifle, deputies approached the unresponsive teen as he lay on the ground and handcuffed him before administering first aid and calling for medical assistance, O’Leary said.

    Lopez was later pronounced dead at the scene. Neither deputy was injured, said Sheriff’s Lt. Steve Brown. Sheriff’s officials did not release the names of the deputies Tuesday, but said both had been placed on administrative leave.

    After securing the scene, deputies discovered the rifle the teen was carrying was a replica of an assault weapon, O’Leary said. Deputies also found a plastic handgun in the teen’s waistband.

    The shooting took place at the edge of a field. The area was cordoned off for hours with yellow police tape. An ambulance and numerous patrol cars from both the Santa Rosa Police Department and Sheriff’s Office surrounded the area. Moorland Avenue was initially closed from West Robles to Corby avenues.

    Neither the Sheriff’s Office, nor the Santa Rosa Police Department, which is leading the investigation into the shooting, would release the boy’s name Tuesday.

    Eduardo Diaz, a friend of Rodrigo Lopez, said Tuesday evening that he received a phone call and learned the boy was dead.

    Diaz said the boy’s family lived near the corner of Todd Road and Moorland Avenue. The family said the boy recently attended Cook Middle School but had transferred to another school.

    Moorland Avenue was blocked at Todd Road late Tuesday night.

    At a little after 9 p.m., a police investigator’s SUV pulled up to the family’s home, a mobile home located on a property that has at least two other homes.

    The boy’s mother, distraught and in tears, came out of the SUV accompanied by someone who appeared to be a family member.

    She walked back to her home escorted by police investigators. Neighbors said she had been taken to identify the body of her son.

    Two law enforcement chaplains arrived soon afterward. The mother’s cries could be heard from the dark driveway as the chaplains walked back to the residence in the rear of the property.

    It was unclear Tuesday whether the weapon recovered at the scene was an operational pellet or BB gun. Lopez’s family called the gun a “toy,” but the Sheriff’s Department’s news release called it only a “replica” of an assault rifle.

    There are dozens of Airsoft guns on the market designed to look like real assault rifles but are electric and fire plastic, nonlethal projectiles similar to BBs.

    The gun recovered at the scene closely resembled an AK-47 style rifle, a replica of which can be purchased online for as little as $34.99 for a plastic version or more than $200 for ones with real metal and wood.

    Such guns are often used recreationally, similar to paintball guns.

    Ian Davis, who lives on Moorland Avenue just north of West Robles Avenue, was on his way home, driving north on Moorland, when he encountered a sheriff’s patrol car parked in the southbound lane of Moorland, the front of the car pointed in the opposite direction of traffic. Two sheriff’s deputies were crouched and taking cover behind the driver’s side and passenger side front doors.

    Davis turned right on West Robles, drove to the end of the street and then turned around and drove back to the intersection of West Robles and began shooting video of the scene.

    Davis said he likely pulled up moments after the shots were fired because he could see someone lying on the ground, several yards in front of the patrol car.

    In his video, Davis can be heard saying, “Police standoff . . . gunpoint. He said, ‘Don’t reach for the rifle.’ ” Moments later, Davis says, “I don’t want to be here, actually. I need to get out of here. I’m in the line of fire.”

    As Davis quickly crosses Moorland to get away from the scene, the video shows two sheriff’s deputies taking cover near their patrol car. In front of the patrol car, a body lies partially on the sidewalk and in a field of dry grass.

    The shooting took place just as neighborhood residents were on their way home from work and school. Others were home when they heard gunfire.

    “First I heard a single siren and within seconds I heard seven shots go off, sounded like a nail gun, is what I thought it was,” said Brian Zastrow, a resident on Horizon Way. “After that I heard multiple sirens.”

    Tuesday’s incident was the third fatal officer-involved shooting in Sonoma County this year. In February, Sonoma County Sheriff’s deputies shot and killed Richard Shreckengaust, 37, of Novato following a pursuit that ended near Guerneville.

    In June, Windsor police officers shot and killed Urbano Moreno Morales, 48, near the Windsor Town Green after he stabbed and wounded his 60-year-old former domestic partner and approached them wielding a knife.

    The investigation into Tuesday’s shooting will be handled by the Santa Rosa and Petaluma Police Departments, as well as the District Attorney’s Office, sheriff’s officials said.

    Sonoma County Sheriff Steve Freitas and Santa Rosa Police Chief Tom Schwedhelm did not return calls late Tuesday seeking comment. Staff Writers Kevin McCallum and Julie Johnson contributed to this report.

    CONNER JAY / The Press Democrat
    Santa Rosa police officers leave the home Tuesday night of 13-year-old Andy Lopez, who was shot and killed by Sonoma County sheriff’s deputies earlier in the day. For more photos, go to pressdemocrat.com
    Last edited by Barry; 10-24-2013 at 01:34 PM.
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  3. TopTop #3
    Shepherd's Avatar
    Shepherd
     

    Re: Sheriff's kill middle school student

    To all: This was just sent out to local and Bay Area media. Please know that a protest may be happening this Saturday with details to come. How ironic that this horrible thing happened in our community on Oct. 22, the date recognized for years (with good reason) as a National Day of Protest Against Police Brutality. Please tell your friends to reserve Saturday and stay tuned. MM


    A statement from PACH Police Accountability Clinic & Helpline of Sonoma County in response to the killing of a 13 year old child by Sonoma County Sheriff's Dept on Oct. 22, 2013.

    A Child is Dead Oct 23, 2013

    My name is Elbert “Big Man” Howard, and I am a founding member of The Black Panther Party and also of PACH, the Police Accountability Clinic & Helpline of Sonoma County. PACH, an all-volunteer organization, was formed to take reports of police misconduct after community meetings which occurred because of a series of killings which took place in 2007. I am making this statement on behalf of myself and PACH and in response and protest to the killing of Andy Lopez, 13 years of age, by law enforcement.

    One of the reasons that the Black Panther Party was formed in 1966, and why they fought so hard many years ago, was to have community control of the police – to make the policeaccountable to the community. In the present atmosphere that still exists of racial profiling and police abuse, the politicians and law enforcement agencies are accountable to no one.

    Now, 47 years later, here I am, waking up to the news that yesterday, Oct 22nd, on the very day we recognize as the National day of protest against police brutality, this 13 year-old child has been shot down and killed by Sonoma County Sheriff's deputies.

    Clearly, police misconduct remains an on-going issue in our community as the civil and human rights of people in our communities are ignored and violated. We all need to protest the police abuse, racial profiling, and the killings by law enforcement that continue to occur in our community.

    Law enforcement, in this county, is a system against the people. The treatment of people at the hands of law enforcement remains an ongoing issue, and instead of improving, has clearly worsened. The fact that this child has been gunned down is just one example of an entire unjust system.

    Details of these deaths in the past and present are always "not for public record". The so-called details take weeks to be obtained. We, as community members, demand an accounting of this shooting. We want to know why this child is dead.

    In order to protest the police abuse and racial profiling that continues to thrive in our community, we need to take action in various ways.

    One of these ways is that we need to cease supporting, as taxpayers, the funding of laws, law enforcement agencies, and criminal penalties that do not work and violate our civil, constitutional, and human rights.

    Some of you may remember, back in May of 2000, the US Commission on Civil Rights, after investigating charges of police misconduct in Sonoma County, recommended that there should be an office formed, independent of the District Attorney’s, to both investigate and prosecute cases of police abuse. It never happened.Why? Was it due to a lack of community political will?

    Are we to continue to ignore the injustices in our community? Are we to continue to support laws that erode our basic human and civil rights? We must form alliances within our community in order to deal with this issue of misconduct by law enforcement. We must do it now before someone else's child lies dead at the age of 13.
    Last edited by Barry; 10-24-2013 at 01:35 PM.
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  4. Gratitude expressed by 3 members:

  5. TopTop #4

    Re: Sheriff's kill middle school student

    I was instantly mortified knowing this could just as easily been my child or yours.
    Toy guns looking very similar have been around for ages!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    NO excuse.
    NONE.
    Why not TASER FIRST if there's any question. Even in most adult situations.
    OR...SHOOT IN THE LEG OR SOMETHING to disorient long enough to take control.

    In most situations there are reasonable, viable, UNDEADLY FOR ALL, USE-FIRST ALTERNATIVES to this cavalier shoot to kill quick trigger police mentality.

    I am not looking forward to comments from the lay down and roll over crowd defending this action.
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  6. TopTop #5
    podfish's Avatar
    podfish
     

    Re: Sheriff's kill middle school student

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by Alexia: View Post
    Why not TASER FIRST if there's any question....
    OR...SHOOT IN THE LEG OR SOMETHING to disorient long enough to take control.
    I am not looking forward to comments from the lay down and roll over crowd defending this action.
    how bout someone who's not rolling over in a crowd?? or defending the action, for that matter?

    I have no idea whether or not this was 'justified'. Weird term that, who wants to justify shooting a child?
    but cop, lawyer and doctor shows on tv do no-one a service. Once a gun is out, nobody is pulling a john-wayne shoot-the-pistol-from-the-hand move. And Marcus Welby wouldn't have saved everyone. And not all patients are beautiful women... etc. etc.

    I do know that our gun-saturated culture encourages all kinds of negative interactions. And a terrifying number of people advocate that most of us 'good people' (ok, maybe most of -you- 'good people') carry guns so you too can participate when something looks untoward to you.

    It was fun enough lynching Efren for something relatively trivial; I expect this far more tragic event will generate even more wacco traffic, to less purpose.
    Last edited by podfish; 10-24-2013 at 08:44 PM. Reason: see how little an impression our politicians made on me??
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  7. TopTop #6
    Imagery's Avatar
    Imagery
     

    Re: Sheriff's kill middle school student

    I'm saddened by the events that occurred the other afternoon in Santa Rosa, CA. I life was, in my humble opinion, needlessly taken. There were errors on both sides of this, however, if one is to be fair about seeing what happened from an objective point of view.
    The deputies:
    Did they take into account the age of the subject, and the likelihood that the subject was NOT intending them great bodily harm?
    Did they look at the weapon in order to ascertain if it was real or a replica?
    Did they look at the subject to see if he understood what they were saying?

    The subject:
    was carrying a replica (and a realistic one at that) assault rifle that looked real.
    did NOT obey the command to drop said toy when told to...
    turned and started to point the barrel in the direction of the deputies

    Personally, if I heard commands being shouted at me in any language, while carrying weapons, I'd drop the weapon to ensure my personal safety.

    The ONE thing that I'm absolutely certain of is this: The investigation will NOT be thorough or transparent and the officers will (and already have) been found to be justified in their actions. Justice (for what it is) will quietly write a check to settle this matter, at the expense of the taxpayers, and nothing will change.
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  8. TopTop #7
    Imagery's Avatar
    Imagery
     

    Re: Sheriff's kill middle school student

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by Alexia: View Post
    Why not TASER FIRST if there's any question. Even in most adult situations.
    OR...SHOOT IN THE LEG OR SOMETHING to disorient long enough to take control.
    The training that has proven to be effective is to shoot to kill. Aim to maim is a pie-in-the-sky theory that only works in television shows like the "A-Team". When someone has a deadly weapon in their hands (assault rifles typically count as deadly weapons), the only thing stopping them from taking a life is the pull of the trigger.
    Most people can take a round to the leg and still have the mental capacity to fire off rounds, presenting a mortal danger to not only the deputies, but to innocent bystanders as well.
    A knife is considered a deadly weapon from a range of 21 feet, because someone can stagger that far with a mortal injury to stab someone. They did as they are trained to do - but there were several errors made the resulted in this tragedy.
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  9. TopTop #8
    Shepherd's Avatar
    Shepherd
     

    Re: Sheriff's kill middle school student

    I am more than "saddened." I am outraged. "Boys with toys" is a relevant saying here. Boys will play with toys, especially guns and swords. The bigger picture here, in my opinion, is that those toys are now assault rifles. That should be illegal and the manufacturers should be sued. They are conditioning our boys (and girls) to accept and use assault rifles. The big boys, the deputies, simply should not have fired the 8 bullets to kill that child. Yelled at, the boy froze. He may have turned. But it is not clear that he intended "to point the barrel." Regardless of what you would have done, as an adult, please have more empathy for a 13-year-old and his grieving family. May this senseless killing be a wake-up call for how far down the path of destruction America has gone.

    Yes, something will change, has to change, or America will continue to kill its children--in Connecticut, Sonoma County, Iraq, Afghanistan, and perhaps Pakistan and Iran. Or wait until they come home with their assault weapons, and commit suicide; more American soldiers die at their own hands of suicide than in combat.

    We should take personal and collective responsibility for what happened, in my opinion, and work hard to change things, rather than accept our nation having a military budget as large as all the other nations put together, an arms industry more lucrative than all the other world's arms industries, and prisons full of more people per capita than any other nation. This all has to change. May the needless death of Andy Lopez be a wake-up call to look at our society and how we treat, train, and kill our children.

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by Imagery: View Post
    I'm saddened by the events that occurred the other afternoon in Santa Rosa, CA. I life was, in my humble opinion, needlessly taken. There were errors on both sides of this, however, if one is to be fair about seeing what happened from an objective point of view.
    Last edited by Barry; 10-25-2013 at 03:21 PM.
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  10. Gratitude expressed by 2 members:

  11. TopTop #9
    arthunter's Avatar
    arthunter
     

    Re: Sheriff's kill middle school student

    This was published on FaceBook today by the Peace & Justice Center ... I found it interesting ...

    Thanks to Robert Edmonds and PACH for this:

    Officer-Involved Deaths in Sonoma County Since 2000 Totals 56, It's Time For Civilian Review

    (56) Fifty Six people have died since the year 2000 within Sonoma County while local Law Enforcement Officers were present.
    This includes deaths caused by firearm, Taser and/or other “less-than-lethal” means, suicide, and (25) in-custody deaths, which are all investigated per the provisions of the “Employee-Involved Fatal Incident Protocol” of the Sonoma County Law Enforcement Chiefs Association. This list encompasses the period of January 10, 2000 to October 22, 2013. Calendar year 2012 appears to be the only year since 2000 that no person has died during an officer-involved fatality.

    (15) additional people died within Sonoma County while local Law Enforcement Officers were present during the period of April 1, 1995 to March 10, 1998 under similar circumstances.

    Dozens of people have been shot, Tasered, and assaulted by Police and deputies during this period, but are not investigated by outside agencies. The following are brief anecdotal reports of the deaths of these people as they have been reported by police, local media and from within the community. Each of these deaths is verifiable in the Press Democrat archives and in Sonoma County Civil Grand Jury Reports. Thanks to all the dedicated activists that have contributed to this list over too many long years of people dying at the hands of cops.

    And most especially, deep and heartfelt condolences and thank you to the families that have participated in and contributed to this work in whatever ways that they have been able, despite the desperate situations with which they have been presented.


    2000

    1. Phillip Tony Medina -48- Died January 7, 2000 - just hours after being moved to a hospital from the Sonoma County Jail. Jail officials say Medina died of the flu, but hospital records show that by the time he was admitted Medina already had infection throughout his body and organs were beginning to fail.

    2. James William Curran –51- Died March 19, 2000 - in handcuffs after Sonoma County Sheriff's deputies responded to an early morning call of a man behaving strangely. Deputies claim they handcuffed Curran in order to prevent him from hurting himself.

    3. Erin Colleen McDonald -31- Died April 10, 2000 - after being shot five times by Windsor Police Officers who broke into her home after she had called them for help during a psychotic episode.

    4. Todd Eugene Dieterle -37- Died May 4, 2000 - after being fired at 13 times and shot seven times by Santa Rosa Police and the Santa Rosa Junior College Police after they were told that he had robbed a convenience store with a painted plastic squirt gun.

    5. Robert Francisco Camacho -35- Died May 4, 2000 - after being shot 5 times outside his home by Rohnert Park Police during an armed battle. His wife had recently sought mental health treatment for her husband but was told he could not be involuntarily committed unless he was a danger to himself or others.

    6. Barry Alan Rogers –45- Died July 19, 2000 - in Sonoma County Jail (Sheriff's Dept.) after six days of in jail, apparently a suicide. Inmates interviewed said that Barry was distressed and disoriented when he was incarcerated and asked for mental health attention. Soon after he arrived in the jail, Rogers' mother died, which certainly should have alerted jail officials to put him on suicide watch, which was not done. Some jail employees admit Rogers' death was due to a "classification error."

    7. Paul R. Daniel –51- Died September 28, 2000 - in Sonoma County Jail. The official story: when found on the cell floor by deputies, Daniel "became combative and had to be restrained." He was then taken to booking where he began vomiting and died soon after. Inmates tell another story -- that overwhelmingly, inmates inside think Daniel was beaten to death. Whether or not this proves to be true, the fact that the inmates think it's true makes the jail a very dangerous place for inmates and correctional officers alike. The fact that, in the face of an inconclusive autopsy Daniel's brain was sent off for further study, and that correctional officers involved are refusing to cooperate with Santa Rosa police officers investigating the death only raise the suspicion level.


    2001

    8. Carey Steinberg Baron -23- Died April 8, 2001 - in the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility, reportedly by hanging himself with shoelaces in a bathroom. His family stated that he was doing well for the first time in his life and couldn’t think of a reason that he would kill himself.

    9. Unidentified Person –Age Unknown- Died July 21, 2001 –in custody. The 2001 – 2002 Sonoma County Grand Jury Critical Incident Report referenced this death, but no trace of this person’s death could be found in local media.

    10. Patrick McLoughlin -19- Died October 23, 2001 - when he turned a gun on himself after exchanging gunfire with Petaluma Police following a failed marijuana heist at a Petaluma home.

    2002

    11. Luis Solario Gonzalez – 23- Died February 28, 2002 – in the back of a Sheriff’s patrol car, in what was determined by the Sheriff- Coroner to be a drug overdose while in custody.

    12. Thomas John Connelly -49- Died May 8, 2002 - while in custody in the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility. Connelly was found hanged in his cell with a sheet four days after he was booked at the jail. He was arrested on suspicion of public intoxication.

    2003

    13. Serena Roxanne Case -32- Died January 16, 2003 – of an apparent drug overdose while in custody. Case was the eighth jail inmate to die in six years, four by suicide and four by drug overdoses.

    14. Keith Thompson Suite -42- Died April 8, 2003 – After being in a coma for 10 months following a heart attack suffered as he was being forcibly removed from a cell at the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility.

    15. Seth Micah Warde -22- Died July 10, 2003- after being pulled over by CHP officer for speeding. The officer’s report claimed that Warde shot himself in the head with a .38 caliber pistol while in his own car.

    16. Anthony Zakharoff -49- Died July 27, 2003 in custody after collapsing at the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility. While he was being booked at the jail, authorities said Zakharoff appeared to need medical help and then stopped breathing. He died soon after at a nearby hospital.

    17. Michael William Behring-52- Died November 18, 2003 after being arrested on a warrant by Sheriff’s Deputies. Michael was awaiting booking at the county jail when a nurse recommended that he be taken to the hospital. Authorities said he admitted to ingesting methamphetamine near the time of his arrest. Cause of death was determined to be a drug overdose.

    2004

    18. Joseph Alan Peay -35- Died September 17, 2004 - after being shot 10 times by a Sonoma County Sheriff's Deputy (Boustany who also killed Kenneth Hugh Duncan in 2005) and a CHP officer as he placed a loaded handgun in his mouth and shot. He was intoxicated and had been fleeing from a DUI checkpoint.

    19. Kenneth Hugh Duncan -62- Died November 11, 2004 - after he was shot nine times by Sonoma County Sheriff's Deputies (Deputy Boustany who also killed Joseph A. Peay in 2004, Deputy Brad James also shot Roger Wayne Anderson in 1999 ) during a standoff, in which he killed his brother-in-law during a psychotic break.

    20. April Hanlon -35- Died November 25, 2004 - in front of her home after Sonoma County Sheriff's Deputies claim she shot herself with a shotgun but was also fired upon at 10 times by Deputies because they thought she was shooting at somebody else..

    2005

    21. Terry Lee Grinner Jr. -30- Died January 28, 2005 - when Rohnert Park Police shot him twice in the back as he attempted to flee on foot after a traffic stop.

    22. Carlos Casillas Fernandez -31- Died July 16, 2005 - in his home while having a psychotic episode, after being shot by Santa Rosa Police with Taser stun guns six times, hit with a large amount of pepper spray and put in a neck restraint while getting handcuffed.

    23. Donna Gean Welch -48- Died August 21, 2005 in custody. She was booked into jail that night and discovered unconscious in her cell about 48 hours later. Welch, who was homeless, had been placed in the jail's general holding cells, but on a status requiring medical staff to monitor her condition more frequently due to drug withdrawal. The last medical check was done one hour and 24 minutes before her body was discovered. Jail policy requires guards to perform routine checks on inmates every 30 minutes. Deputies said that although two more interviews with guards have to be done, records gathered by investigators indicate that Welch had been checked ``right at the 30 minute mark.''

    24. James Anthony Decosta -72- Died October 1, 2005 - when he was shot 27 times and fired upon 42 times after he pointed a loaded handgun at Petaluma Police after a car chase. He was being sought on child molestation warrants.

    25. Michael Tolosko Died December 7, 2005 – His mother said he died after being shot with a Taser stun gun and said Sheriff’s Deputies didn't believe her when she told them her son stopped breathing and ignored her pleas for medical aid. The official cause of death was determined to be Agitated Psychosis, a “condition” commonly associated with Taser use and subsequent death –sometimes called Excited Delirium.

    26. James Richard Nace -42- Died December 10, 2005 - when a Sonoma County Sheriff's Deputy turned his own gun back on him as they attempted to arrest him for possession of marijuana.

    2006

    27. Moses McDowell -29- Died November 6, 2006 - he was bipolar and was suffering ethanol Withdrawal in the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility.

    2007

    28. Haki Kuasi Gaidi Thurston -23- Died February 23, 2007 - after being shot 27 times with assault rifles by SRPD Swat team (One of these officers, Sgt. Richard Celli, also killed Richard DeSantis this year). Haki was unarmed and running AWAY from police. Sgt. Richard Celli, Sgt. Stephen Schwartz, Officer John Barr and Officer Brian Boettger.

    29. Jeremiah Chass -16- Died March 12, 2007 - at his home after being shot 8 times by Sonoma County Sheriff's Deputies while suffering a mental health crisis, armed only with a pocket knife, and locked in a minivan.

    30. Richard Desantis -30- Died April 9, 2007 - in front of his home after being shot twice with a handgun, a rifle and with plastic bullets by Santa Rosa Police, who were told by his wife in a clear and loud voice, that this was a mental health emergency and that her husband was unarmed. Officer Travis Menke, Sgt. Richard Celli, Officer Patricia Mann.

    31. Walter L. Heller -55- Died April 22, 2007 - after suffering a brain injury as he fell to the ground in front of his home while unarmed, after being shot twice with Tasers by Petaluma Police Officers. Officers Gary Buffo, Jason Lechleiter and Dustin Rodrigues.

    32. Luis Felipe Sanchez -27- Died May 4, 2007 – after being shot seven times by Sonoma County Sheriff's Deputies after they entered the home of his girlfriend and cornered him in a bathroom. Deputies Mike Frank, Greg Myers and Joe Dulworth

    33. Richard Lamont Williamson Jr. -54- Died June 17, 2007 - according to the Sheriff’s Department while suffering from withdrawal in the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility.

    34. Ryan George -22- Died July 9, 2007 - while suffering from sickle cell anemia in the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility after repeated requests by his family for treatment by his personal physician.

    35. Gregorey William Townsley -46- Died September 24, 2007 – according to the Sheriff’s Department while suffering from withdrawal in the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility. Mr. Townsley was a houseless resident of Santa Rosa.

    2008

    36. Jesse Hamilton -24- Died January 2, 2008 - a mental health client, was shot by Santa Rosa Police who were responding to a mental health crisis call.

    37. Samuel Antonio Castillo-Martinez -37- Died March 13, 2008 – in custody at the Sonoma County Honor farm. An autopsy revealed no signs of trauma or other suspicious circumstances, and Sheriff’s officials say that this 37 year old man, in otherwise perfect health, may have died from "cardiac-related natural causes”

    38. Heather Smith (Billings) -31- Died March 16, 2008 – after being shot by Rohnert Park Police who were responding to a mental health crisis call.

    39. Leobardo Medina Pacheco – 38 - April 21, 2008 succumbed in hospital after found hanging in Sonoma County Jail on April 18.

    40. Guy James Fernandez - 42 – November 10, 2008 Taser death at the hands of Rohnert Park Public Safety. According to the Sheriff, Fernandez may have been under the influence of methamphetamine.

    41. Craig Von Dohlen -37- December 6, 2008 – shot when confronting Sheriff’s deputies with a rifle

    42. Nathan Vaughn -39- December 22, 2008 – Killed by Taser Sheriff’s Department. Had called day before asking to be taken into custody

    2009

    43. Jon Gerald Moore -44- September 18, 2009 Died in Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility. “No obvious signs of trauma and nothing suspicious.”

    2010

    44. Teresa Ellen Hagan – 44 – January 22, 2010 – Died and found hanging in a “padded sobering cell” and later on died in the hospital.

    45. Albert Mike Leday, Jr -June 1, 2010- Coddingtown- shot and killed by Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Fuston after high speed chase. 3rd person killed by Fuston.

    46. Michael Lee Molgard -34- September 9, 2010 apparently jumped to his death from a high railing in Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility.

    47. Nicodemus Sullivan October 31, 2010 – Shot and killed by Sheriff’s Deputies and CHP after cops mistakenly thought he was “ramming” cop cars. 41 shots fired.

    48. Brian Leonard Gittings -44- December 5, 2010 - died after he appeared to have trouble breathing at the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility.

    2011

    49. William Jackson – 59- April 15, 2011 died after suffering “medical distress” at North County Detention Facility

    50. Gary Pickard Jr. – 27- June 26, 2011 – shot twice by Sheriff’s Deputies

    51. Pablo Perez Ramirez – 25- November 25, 2011 – pulled a revolver from his waistband and was killed by Sebastopol PD officer

    2013

    52. Richard Shreckengaust – 37- March 2, 2013 – killed by Sheriff’s Deputies in Guerneville.

    53. Neils Conrad -55- April 22, 2013 – found unconscious on the floor of the dorm room bathroom at the North County Detention Facility.

    54. Urbano Moreno Morales – 48- June 9, 2013 killed by Windsor Police (Sheriff) after he had killed his ex-girlfriend and charged police.

    55. Christopher Eric Augustin -37- October 15, 2013- Man dies after struggle with Santa Rosa Police Department. The man appeared to suffer some kind of medical emergency after police confronted him at the apartment, police officials said. Death is being investigated by Sonoma County Sheriff’s office.

    56. Andy Lopez Cruz – 13 - October 22, 2013 – Andy Lopez Cruz was shot by a Sonoma County Sheriff’s Deputy while he walking through an open field carrying a plastic replica of an AK47 in broad daylight, in Santa Rosa.
    Last edited by Barry; 10-26-2013 at 03:06 PM.
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  12. Gratitude expressed by 2 members:

  13. TopTop #10
    american dream's Avatar
    american dream
     

    Re: Sheriff's kill middle school student

    Does anyone know if there is a demonstration planned for this weekend to help this boy's family get through this nightmare, in whatever way is possible? I would love to be there, if so. Thanks.
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  14. TopTop #11
    Svea
     

    Re: Sheriff's kill middle school student

    I haven't heard or read anything about demonstrations going on this weekend. But if you go to facebook and type "JUSTICE NOW! Unity March & Vigil for Andy Lopez" into the search field, you will get a page with information on a march happening on October 30th in downtown Santa Rosa, from 5 to 8PM.

    [More Info here - Barry]

    Realistic toy guns have been around for a very long time, and I doubt they are going away any time soon. (I think they should go away!) Because hey, it is such a convenient way to conditioning young boys for their future tours of duty.

    Svea

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by american dream: View Post
    Does anyone know if there is a demonstration planned for this weekend to help this boy's family get through this nightmare, in whatever way is possible? I would love to be there, if so. Thanks.
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  15. Gratitude expressed by 3 members:

  16. TopTop #12
    Roland Jacopetti's Avatar
    Roland Jacopetti
     

    Re: Sheriff's kill middle school student

    World War II ended in 1945. I was nine years old, growing up in a working class San Francisco neighborhood which has become one of the most fashionable places in the city to live. There were many kids on my block, and our favorite toys, without question, were guns. We played cops & robbers and cowboys & indians, but mostly we played war. My cousin and I and some other kids had replica military rifles, bought for us by our parents at a local toy store. The WWII military rifle was the M-1, but these were replicas of an earlier military rifle, a 30-calibre bolt-action gun. They were quite realistic, and we loved them. These rifles featured a bracket at the top of the stock, which allowed three guns to be fastened together, forming a teepee-shaped pyramid of three. We had left them that way, and returned to find a police car parked at the curb and two uniformed officers studying the guns. They greeted us, were quite friendly, asked where we'd gotten the guns, and one even jotted down the name of the toy store, remarking that his son would love one of those. They waved goodbye, and we felt kind of proud that a real life policeman would actually think our toys looked real.
    I don't know why I'm repeating this story here. It's been on my mind since the tragedy that struck us last week. I was particularly saddened by that incredible list of police-related killings since 2000. We must really take a long hard look at the role of law enforcers in our culture, police, military and combinations of the two, and address what's obviously a growing problem in the culture. Growing fast, as we've all seen.
    Time to act.
    Roland
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  17. Gratitude expressed by 4 members:

  18. TopTop #13
    podfish's Avatar
    podfish
     

    Re: Sheriff's kill middle school student

    Quote Posted in reply to the post by Roland Jacopetti: View Post
    I was particularly saddened by that incredible list of police-related killings since 2000. We must really take a long hard look at the role of law enforcers in our culture, police, military and combinations of the two, and address what's obviously a growing problem in the culture.
    and it's not like there weren't tragedies like work-place shootings in those days too. The societal response to the Lindbergh baby episode seems to have been hugely different than the modern one to the Polly Klass abduction. The police responses to threats seem to be just a piece of this broad trend.

    I really don't know what to think about the changes. Why did it take so long to notice that cars had radio-buttons that would puncture your skull in a crash because passengers had no mandatory restraints? Sure, they didn't know how to make air-bags, but they sure could have passed seat-belt and other safety laws before Ralph Nader gave society a push. And baby seats didn't require new technology before they could be made safe; but they used to be little buckets that hung over the back of the seat, more for convenience than protection of the child. Even when gangsters had tommy-guns, not all cops were heavily armed. Louis CK did a bit about this, though on an even rougher subject; but I agree with his observation - "I don't know where you go from this"; you surely don't want to return to a world where we had no FDA that (presumably) is inspecting our food, and products could be unsafe, and commerce was mostly caveat emptor. But I don't like what's happening now either. These days we can't have unpasteurized French cheeses. You can't fly with a pocketknife - or a bottle of water. And just because it was not completely unthinkable that a kid might actually have a real AK47, police all over the country are trained to react as if he does.
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  19. TopTop #14
    arthunter's Avatar
    arthunter
     

    Re: Sheriff's kill middle school student

    Once again the Peace & Justice Center has published on FaceBook ... they're doing a good job of providing information ... here is a copy of that posting ...

    This was a tragic mistake, but I don't underestimate the difficulty of the job and the need to make split second decisions ... my uncle was a cop so I have some behind-the-scenes experience ... but there is a reason that these writings are disappearing quickly from the internet ...

    " From Robert Edmonds: Here is a link to many of Gelhaus' published articles on effective ways to kill people. https://www.10-8consulting.com/recentarticles.php
    Read them fast, he is rapidly disappearing from the internet. The thin blue line is quickly circling around to protect their own."

    I
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  20. TopTop #15
    arthunter's Avatar
    arthunter
     

    Re: Sheriff's kill middle school student

    On FaceBook today:

    March for Andy Lopez

    The march will be on October 29th and will have 2 meeting places. At 12pm, people can either meet at The Old Court House Sqaure or Santa Rosa Junior College. Those that choose to go to the Court House will begin marching to the SRJC at 1 pm. Those that choose to protest at the SRJC will meet at 12 and rally while they await the arrival of those marching from the Old Court House Square. Once the two parties are united, we will all march toward the Sheriffs Department. There, we will have another protest with both parties and those who can join at the Sheriffs department around 3pm.......
    Addresses:
    Santa Rosa Junior College(12pm): 1501 Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa, Ca, 95401
    Old Courthouse Square (12pm): Old Courthouse Square Santa Rosa, CA 95404
    Sheriffs Department (3pm): 2796 Ventura Avenue
    Santa Rosa, CA 95403
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