DEMONSTRATIONS CONTINUE IN EL CAJON; LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERTS OFFER OPINIONS ON SHOOTING

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By Miriam Raftery

October 1, 2016 (El Cajon)—No arrests were made overnight as protests continued for a fourth night and into today, following the shooting of Alfred Olango by El Cajon Police on Tuesday.

Tensions remain despite video released yesterday and a photo showing Olango in a shooting stance, aiming a vaping device at Officer Richard Gonsalves, who has said he believed it to be a gun. 

“Protesters gathered near Broadway and Mollison Friday evening. They began marching in the streets and blocking intersections before moving on,” says Lieutenant Rob Ransweiler with El Cajon Police. “ There was a report of an assault between protestors and a citizen near First and Main Streets but there have not been any reports of property damage.  There were no arrests throughout the evening.”

 On Friday afternoon, about three dozen pastors offered up prayers for peace for the community, transparency in the investigation, and for law enforcement officers. 

But protesters chanted “No justice, no peace.” The National Action Network and others have called for a federal investigation.  Others have called for an increase in mental health resources; Olango’s family, who called 911 seeking help for him, have said he was suffering a mental breakdown after a friend’s death.

Olango, who is black  had an extensive criminal record and federal authorities twice sought to deport him,  though officials have said the officers were not aware of his record before the confrontation.

Demonstrations continued this afternoon with a mostly peaceful march through downtown El Cajon.

NBC news obtained opinions from law enforcement experts on the shooting.  Former El Cajon Police Officer Kevin  LaChapelle, who has written a book highly critical of the force on other matters,supported Officer Gonsalves’ actions in this shooting.

"The officer pretty much was following protocol," he said, NBC reported. "Training in the academy was pretty much like clockwork."

Another local police officer in a neighboring jurisdiction told ECM after viewing the video,”Any police officer would have done the same thing.”

But Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department veteran and consultant Roger Clark criticized Officer Gonsalves for approaching Olango with gun drawn while Olango was backing away. 

"He's trying to stay away from an officer who has a gun in hand," Clark told NBC 7. "Another thing with people who are upset, as you increase anxieties, their ability to comply decreases proportionately."



 

 

 


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Comments

t'werent' neither a gun!

You're all missing the point, the gent wanted to commit suicide and his religion prevented it, so knowing that even if you aimed a dust pan at those trigger-happy cops, they'd unload a couple of clips into him, he elected to go this way. What's life without imagination?

Yes, I think the term"unarmed" is not quite accurate;

More accurate to say he drew what appeared to be a gun but that was in fact a vaping device.

I do think there are issues with what led up to him drawing the device and pointing it at police,  ie,  perhaps different actions might have prevented this.  But once he did so, the die was cast. 

 

It DOES look like a pistol

Mr. Olango did draw down on the officer in a shooting stance. It's a tragedy for everyone who was involved.