Screen capture from CBS8 at 2:32 pm. Demonstrators continue to hold an intersection as part of the continuing protests in El Cajon because of the fatal shooting by police on Tuesday of Alfred Olango.
Demonstrators Take Over El Cajon Intersection
UPDATE: The crowd that had demonstrated in front of El Cajon Police Headquarters earlier today, moved into the streets, blocking some, and confronting police who were trying to prevent demonstrators from marching onto SR-67.
At 2:32 pm, the demonstrators had taken over an entire intersection – as seen in a live stream from CBS8.
A crowd of people angry over the shooting death of an unarmed black man in El Cajon has blocked streets and come face to face with uniformed law enforcement officers in San Diego’s East County. Protesters holding signs walked in between cars traveling in the opposite direction along Broadway.
EARLIER REPORT:
Wednesday morning, two hundred demonstrators protested yesterday’s shooting by El Cajon Police of Alfred Olangol, an unarmed African-American with a history of mental illness.
The protest began with a press conference, and as speakers denounced the incident, at least a dozen television cameras captured the event in front of the El Cajon police headquarters. A good number of national media were on hand, as this incident has become national news, falling into a too-familiar pattern of shootings of Black men by police, such as those recent killings in Tulsa and Charlotte.
The killing occurred n the parking lot of a shopping center in the 800 block of Broadway. Police said Olango was reported to be “acting erratically”. Plus they said he did not follow orders to remove his hands from the pockets of his pants. They have admitted no weapon was found. One of the officers involved in the incident had a taser, the other a pistol.
Family members – who initially sought help for Olango – said he was having a seizure.
Speaker after speaker denounced the incident, expressed their outrage and anger and sadness – calling for transparency, the release of the entire cell phone video captured by a witness in the possession of El Cajon police and District Attorney, and for a federal investigation in the entire incident. Several speakers said that San Diego County DA Bonnie Dumanis cannot be trusted to conduct a fair investigation because of her history of exoneration of police officers in fatal shooting of civilians over the years.
“We don’t want to see a still picture, we want the whole story. Show the whole video,” said Bishop Cornelius Bowser of the San Diego Organizing Project.
Rev. Shane Harris, an activist pastor with National Action Network San Diego, said he spoke Tuesday with Olango’s family, who said it took police 50 minutes to respond to the calls for to help the man.
Also several of the speakers challenged the media present to do more, to take more responsibility for getting the truth out, for exposing racism and not to simply accept the narrative put out by law enforcement.
Mallory Webb, president of the NAACP’s San Diego Youth and College Division, said, “I’m just questioning why — why you watch it happen and don’t do anything. … I’m angry, I’m very angry and hurt.
At Wednesday’s rally, Christopher Rice Wilson, associate director of Alliance San DIego community organizing non-profit, said Olango’s family will be meeting with civil rights attorneys.
“They are meeting with clergy and community members who are surrounding them with loving care,” Wilson added. Asked if any family or friends would talk to reporters, he said, “You have to understand, people are afraid. They don’t want to be targeted.”
EC PD headquarters itself had the front doors to the lobby locked and posted a sign for the public that normal business was suspended.
Once the presser was over, most of the big-time media departed, but as more people joined the event, a bullhorn was brought out allowing folks in the crowd to speak their minds.
Near noon, those remaining in the crowd walked over to the shooting site, on Broadway.
More protests are being called for – including more for today.
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