Both sides urge calm in wake of fatal Pasco police shooting | Tri-City Herald

The family of a Pasco man shot dead this week joined city officials Thursday in calling for peace this weekend at a rally that is expected to draw hundreds of people from across the state.

The death of Antonio Zambrano-Montes, 35, is the latest fatal shooting involving a police officer to galvanize national attention. The orchard worker was chased down Tuesday by three Pasco police officers and shot after reportedly hurling rocks at them.

City officials and those organizing the anti-police brutality protest scheduled for noon Saturday at Volunteer Park are preparing for large crowds to descend on the streets of Pasco.

Officials, organizers and the victim’s family all met Thursday night inside Vinny’s Cafe & Bakery, just feet from where Zambrano-Montes died. Bullet holes were visible on the outside wall. They discussed details of the rally and the need to make sure it doesn’t turn violent.

Many in Zambrano-Montes’ family and those advising them stressed the need for peace in coming days and weeks. However, family members who spoke to the Herald are still angry at police for not using non-lethal force.

They were adamant they want officers Ryan Flanagan, Adam Wright and Adrian Alaniz held criminally responsible for the shooting. Flanagan was accused in 2009 of excessive force and racial profiling in a lawsuit, which the city eventually settled with a Hispanic woman for $100,000.

“We want justice. We want them to pay for what they did,” said Pedro Zambrano, the victim’s cousin.

The city is bracing itself for the protest Saturday and other rallies that could pop up in the wake of the shooting, said City Manager Dave Zabell. Officials are working to develop a plan to ensure businesses and private property aren’t damaged.

Police Chief Bob Metzger, who met with Zambrano-Montes’ family Thursday, addressed the small crowd gathered inside the cafe.

“Anything you need from us let us know and we will do that,” Metzger told organizers and family members. “At the end of the day we want to be safe. We all want to make sure we got home safely to our families. That’s really what I am here to help you with.”

Franklin County Coroner Dan Blasdel announced Thursday he will decide within the next few weeks whether to call for an inquest into Zambrano-Montes’ death. An inquest would mean a jury of six civilians would be presented with facts about the case and they would determine the cause and manner of death. Jurors would review autopsy and toxicology reports, and would have the chance to ask questions.

Blasdel is leaning towards an inquest because of the controversy surrounding the shooting. He doesn’t want the situation to “turn into another Ferguson,” he said. The longtime coroner has requested two inquests in the county during his more than 20-year career.

“It shows that it’s open and transparent,” Blasdel said. “It shows that it’s not the good ol’ boys investigating their own.”

A forensic pathologist still plans to perform an autopsy Friday morning.

As Pasco prepares for what some say could be the biggest rally in the history of the Tri-Cities, officials from a special unit comprised of local law enforcement officials continue their investigation into the shooting, which has sparked outrage locally and nationwide.

Authorities plan to hold a news conference Friday at the Kennewick police station to talk about the investigation.

Zambrano-Montes’ death marks the fourth time a man has been shot and killed by a police officer in Pasco in the last six months. Pasco officers have shot three of the men and a member of the Tri-City Regional SWAT Team shot the other.

Rick R. Howard, 49, Brad D. Jensen, 34, and Matthew L. Stoddard, 25, were all killed in confrontations with police. Police say the men were armed and officers have been cleared of any wrongdoing in all the cases.

City officials spoke up Thursday about the shooting following a day of protests at city hall and in the streets of Pasco. Many in the community, including Zambrano-Montes’ family, had criticized officials for their response Wednesday.

Mayor Matt Watkins, calling this a “tough” time in Pasco, acknowledged people in the city have a right to be upset and concerned. He went to the protest Wednesday night and says people who are frustrated should speak their mind.

Watkins and the rest of the City Council plan to meet in a closed-door session Friday to discuss potential litigation related to the shooting. Zambrano-Montes’ family apparently has hired an attorney and the city has received a number of records requests that make a lawsuit look likely.

The mayor asked for citizens not to jump to conclusions, saying it is important to make sure the investigation process is thorough and independent. Officials will work to regain the trust of the community, he said.

“This is a challenge and a test,” Watkins said. “Everyone at City Hall is going to have to step up to the challenge.”

A few prominent leaders in Hispanic communities in the region have come to the Tri-Cities to help advocate for Zambrano-Montes and better treatment from police. They were on hand and spoke at Thursday’s standup meeting with officials at the bakery.

Felix Vargas, the chairman of Consejo Latino, a well-known group of community members and business owners in downtown Pasco, is “greatly disturbed” by the shooting and believes Zambrano-Montes didn’t deserve to be shot, he said.

The Pasco resident says there has been a disconnect between the Hispanic community and police force in the city for a long time. Metzger and Zabell met with Vargas’ group about two weeks before the shooting to work on better relations, Vargas said.

Consejo Latino called an emergency meeting Thursday night to discuss the shooting and talk about what actions need to be taken. While asking for the Hispanic community to remain calm, Vargas called for a federal investigation to ensure the matter is reviewed completely independent of local law enforcement.

“I am very confused because there is no reason any shot should have been fired,” Vargas said. “We just can’t understand why the officers did what they did.”

The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington also called the shooting “disturbing.” A spokesperson said the organization plans to look closely at the police department’s policies and use-of-force training.

Gov. Jay Inslee said he was monitoring the situation and said his staff has been in contact with local officials, according to the Associated Press.

"We are going to need to get to the bottom of understanding the circumstances of this," Inslee said. "There will be, and needs to be, a very complete assessment of all of the circumstances of what happened here. And that needs to happen, in detail, in depth."

Protestors took to the streets again Thursday night to show support for Zambrano-Montes. They returned to the spot where he died near the intersection of 10th and Lewis streets, lighting candles and holding signs as drivers honked their horns wildly.

Through an interpreter, Zambrano-Montes’ cousin, Eulalio Zambrano, thanked the community for its support. Police need to be trained better in Pasco and the officers should be held accountable for shooting his cousin, he said.

“He believes that definitely, for sure things need to change with Pasco police because they have a lot of different methods they can use before they start shooting,” said Fabian Ubay, who translated and has been speaking for the family.

A handful of demonstrators, including an Iraq war veteran and a local corrections officer, showed up at City Hall on Thursday morning to show support for the police department.

They wanted to show police that not everyone in the community is upset with the actions of the three officers, they said. They held up signs of support and waved at passing drivers. They planned to be at City Hall for the rest of the day.

Chris Black, an Army veteran twice deployed to Iraq, held an American flag as he talked about the risks police officers take every day to try and keep people safe.

“It’s important for these officers to know the entire community is not out to get them,” Black said. “This is where I want to be. Local law enforcement is here and those are the people I support.”

Police stopped to say thank you to the group for their support. Officer Reuben Marquez even parked his patrol car and got out to shake their hands.

The group urged people to let the investigation play out and not judge officers based solely on YouTube videos of the shooting.

“People are quick to jump on officers,” said Crissa Flink. “You saw 30 seconds of video. You didn’t see what led up to it.”