The family of Alfred Olango, along with its attorneys and representatives from the National Action Network (NAN), held a press conference Thursday to announce the filing of two claims against the El Cajon Police Department (ECPD) and Officer Richard Gonzalves following the shooting death of Olango by ECPD in September.
One claim will be filed on behalf of Olango’s wife, Tania Rozer, and his two daughters. Olango’s father, Richard Olango Abuku, plans to file a separate claim in the near future.
If the city of El Cajon does not respond ot the claims within 45 days, the family will then have six months to file a lawsuit against the city.
Olango’s sister, Lucy Olango, filed a claim with the city of El Cajon in late October alleging that officer Gonsalves, the officer who fatally shot Olango in the parking lot of an El Cajon strip mall “provoked Alfred into taking foreseeable defensive measures which Officer Gonsalves then used as false justification to kill him.”
“This lawsuit, it’s not just going to be the Olango Family lawsuit,” Dan Gilleon, the attorney for Lucy Olango said. “Because we’re suing a public entity, all of the documents, the deposition, they’re going to be public record. These are going to be the public’s records and you are going to have a right to see those documents, those depositions.”
Attorney Brian Dunn of the Cochran Law Firm and John Sweeny of the Sweeny Firm will represent the wife and children of Olango.
“I speak for the entire family in saying that we are here for one reason, and we are here for one reason only,” Dunn said. “We don’t want another family to go through this. We’re here because we don’t want another wife to lose her husband, we don’t want another child to lose her father, and we don’t want another father to lose his son.”
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Attorney Rodney Diggs of Ivie McNeill & Wyatt will represent Richard Olango Abuka, Olango’s father.
“The death of Alfred Olango is a turning point in America,” Richard Olango said. “It’s a turning point in the justice system in America, and it will be a turning point in how policing is done in America.”
Reverend Shane Harris, President of the NAN San Diego demanded an independent investigation of Olango’s killing, and said that the NAN and more than 100 other organizations will sign a letter calling for the investigation to be taken over by Attorney General Loretta Lynch.
