More Than 1,000 Attend Andy Lopez Protest Rally in Santa Rosa

The Associated Press is reporting that more than 1,000 people marched at the rally this afternoon in Santa Rosa to protest the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Andy Lopez.

The protesters, including middle- and high-school-age students and members of the Occupy movement, assembled in downtown Santa Rosa before marching through streets with signs and hooded sweatshirts bearing photos of the boy.

"Andy Lopez did not have to die," they chanted during the nearly three-hour, mostly peaceful demonstration. No arrests were made.

http://blogs.kqed.org/newsfix/2013/10/29/andy-lopez/

"In the state of California we have a lot of laws that cover the protection of privacy of police officers and as a result of that, a lot of these complaints about police conduct, full reports are rarely made public," Gullixon said. "The question is ultimately what will come of that and how much will people know of what actually transpired."

HEY EVERYONE WE WILL BE BLOCKING COMMENTS AND TAGING US IN PICTURES ALSO YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO POST ON THE TIMELINE OF THIS PAGE.

THE REASON WE ARE DOING THIS IS BECAUSE WE GOT A MESSAGE WARNING US THAT THE GROUP (ANONYMOUS) WILL TRY TO HACK THIS PAGE AND POST PICTURES THAT ARE TOO GRAPHIC OF THE CRIME SEAN OF ANDY LOPEZ.

WE WILL BE ON HIGH ALERT FOR NOW.

WERE SORRY FOR DOING THIS BUT ITS FOR THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS WE DONT WANT PEOPLE TO SEE THESE IMAGES

A death that drives us to our knees

But as with so many people who have been participating in vigils and marches in Santa Rosa since Tuesday, I'm also having a hard time understanding why the deputy felt so threatened that he had to pull the trigger — eight times.

After all, it was not as if they had evidence that this suspicious person with his back to them presented a clear and present danger. He was not walking toward a crowd of people. The

deputies were not responding to a report of a dangerous person firing an assault weapon in the area.

Residents of that area in fact are used to seeing young men with airsoft rifles roaming the open fields. Andy was killed beside a large undeveloped lot where, in the spring, the grass grows so tall that it's a fun place for children to run and hide — and play with BB guns. Were the

officers not familiar with that?

http://www.petaluma360.com/article/20131027/OPINION/131029669/-1/PT07?p=1&tc=pg

Andy Lopez Shooting: Police Fired At Teen After He Was On The Ground, Says Witness




Santa Rosa Police say two deputies who shot and killed a 13-year-old boy carrying a toy rifle only fired at the boy as he stood holding what they thought was a real assault weapon. But one resident of the neighborhood where the shooting took place has now stepped forward with a different story.

In an interview with KTVU-TV, Ethan Oliver says he witnessed officers fire shots into Andy Lopez after the teen had fallen to the ground. Oliver lives across the street from the field where the shooting took place in Santa Rosa, Calif. He says he walked outside after hearing two gun shots and saw Lopez already on the ground. "Then the cops went at it again and unloaded like 6 to 7 shots,” Oliver said. KTVU asked him "if he meant that the deputy shot Lopez while he was on the ground." And Oliver stuck to his claim, stating that was "exactly what I saw."


Authorities haven't yet responded to Oliver's statement

http://www.ibtimes.com/andy-lopez-shooting-police-fired-teen-after-he-was-ground-says-witness-1441020

Ian Davis, who lives on Moorland Avenue just north of West Robles ... intersection of West Robles and began shooting video of the scene

http://www.redding.com/news/2013/oct/24/marchers-protest-calif-deputys-shooting-boy/

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.”
http://pachline.org/