Seventeen people were arrested following two large protests and rallies across San Diego in response to the controversial deadly shooting of an unarmed black man in El Cajon.
The arrests happened after a Saturday afternoon protest that started in Balboa Park; crowds marched to Downtown before heading back to Broadway.
Police first stopped a car leaving the protest area near the 800 block of Broadway for a traffic infraction, according to El Cajon Police Lt. Rob Ransweiler.
The driver, who was under 21, was arrested for driving under the influence. The two passengers were also arrested and charged with being drunk in public.
After that arrest, police responded to a fight between a small group of protesters near the 800 block of Broadway. It was reported someone left to get a gun, Ransweiler said.
Officers declared an unlawful assembly and ordered the group to disperse. Most of the protesters left, but a small number stayed. Officers asked the remaining protesters to leave and they promised to leave, Ransweiler said. However, when they did not leave, officers again reminded them of the unlawful assembly and ordered them to leave. The remaining individuals did not make an attempt to leave, Ransweiler said.
Fourteen adults were arrested, 12 of which were charged with failing to depart an unlawful assembly, one for an arrest warrant and one for public intoxication.
The protests came one day after police released video of the police shooting of Alfred Olango, 38.
"No justice, no peace!" the demonstrators chanted. One woman held a sign that read: "Comply or not, we're shot."
The large crowd prompted transportation officials to close the State Route 163 connector to Interstate 5 at Park Boulevard.
Demonstrators make their way to #SDPD headquarters in honor of #AlfredOlango. #NBC7 pic.twitter.com/ZqgpB1H20f
— Ashley Matthews (@ashleyNBC7) October 1, 2016
Watch the Facebook live of the march below or here.
The shooting:
Protesters marching from prayer vigil on Main Street to @elcajonpolice department #NBC7 pic.twitter.com/V2GI3H3pc1
— Liberty Zabala (@LibertyNBC7SD) October 1, 2016
Olango was shot and killed by officers with the El Cajon Police Department (ECPD) on Tuesday in the parking lot of a shopping center in the 800 block of Broadway.
Police said Olango refused to comply with the officers’ orders to get his hands out of the pockets of his pants. Police said he pulled a 4-inch-long vaping device from his pocket and pointed it at the officers in a “shooting stance.” At that point, ECPD Officer Josh McDaniel deployed a Taser on Olango; Officer Richard Gonsalves fired several shots at Olango, critically striking him.
Crowd is building outside Prescott Park for #AlfredOlango vigil. #NBC7 pic.twitter.com/ie0IPTFSuu
— Megan Tevrizian (@meganNBC) October 1, 2016
The encounter was captured on cellphone video by a witness who was working at a nearby taco shop, as well as on a surveillance camera from that business.
Following the shooting, the ECPD released a single still photograph pulled from that video of Olango in that “shooting stance.” Civil rights leaders urged the police department and San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis to release the full video.
ECPD Chief Jeff Davis said the decision to release the video Friday stemmed from concern for public safety.
However, Harris argued that the video was not shown to Olango’s family before it was publicly released, which was upsetting to the family. He argued that Davis, Dumanis and El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells released the video to only quell protests.
“They want peace. But what they don’t understand is that if there is no justice, there is no peace,” said Harris at his own news conference following the release of the video.
The shooting of Olango is the latest case in a series of police shootings of unarmed black men across America. The case has sparked days of protests in El Cajon. Some demonstrations have been peaceful, others have been heated, leading to arrests.
