Erik Salgado's family demands police accountability for his shooting death, protesters march
Erik Salgado’s family demands police accountability for his shooting death, protesters march
Hundreds of people have taken to the streets of Oakland as the family of Erik Salgado demands answers and action following his deadly shooting over the weekend by California Highway Patrol officers.
OAKLAND, Calif. - Hundreds of people have taken to the streets of Oakland as the family of Erik Salgado demands answers and action following his deadly shooting over the weekend by California Highway Patrol officers.
Monday's march began 4 p.m. at Elmhurst Middle School near where the shooting occurred.
Sources told KTVU that CHP officers fired more than 40 rounds, killing Salgado, 23, Saturday night near 96th Avenue and Cherry Street in East Oakland. Salgado's pregnant girlfriend, who was the passenger in his vehicle at the time of the shooting, was injured.
Erik Salgado’s family demands police accountability for his shooting death, protesters march
Hundreds of people have taken to the streets of Oakland as the family of Erik Salgado demands answers and action following his deadly shooting over the weekend by California Highway Patrol officers.
Sources tell KTVU the shooting happened after officers, who are part of an auto-theft task force, believed Salgado was aiming a stolen Dodge Challenger at them. That vehicle is allegedly one of 74 vehicles stolen from San Leandro Dodge a couple of weekends ago.
"It's shocking, said civil rights attorney John Burris, who was contacted by the pregnant woman who was shot as well as Salgado's family.
"How can you have that kind of firepower in the inner city over a potential stolen car?" Burris asked.
A group representing Salgado's family says the officers used excessive force. They are demanding the names and arrests of the officers involved.
"Those officers belong in jail right now," said Hoku Jeffrey, a national organizer with By Any Means Necessary. "We want their personnel files and we want them out of the force an in prison. Their murder, their execution of Erik shows a real callous disregard for life."
Oakland Police Department, The Alameda County District Attorney's office and CHP are all investigating this shooting.
CHP has declined comment on the incident, referring to Oakland Police Department. OPD did not have any new information.
Mayor Libby Schaaf issued a press release on the shooting that in part said the following:
"The City of Oakland is committed to conducting a rigorous and transparent investigation into this fatal shooting that occurred in our city."
This is the 10th deadly shooting by law enforcement in the Bay Area since Easter.