Pasco City Council listens to concerns about shooting

The Pasco City Council didn’t have any answers to offer Tuesday about the police officer-involved shooting death of Antonio Zambrano-Montes.

But council members listened to those in the audience who voiced their questions and concerns during the regular Tuesday council meeting. About 30 people attended the meeting.

And most of the council members and City Manager Dave Zabell stayed after the meeting to chat with those who came to City Hall to call for justice.

The Pasco community was not like some other cities across the nation that unraveled under pressure, said Zabell, whose comments were followed by applause from many in the audience.

“Pasco didn’t crumble under pressure,” he said.

Pasco residents have made it possible for differing opinions to be aired in a peaceful exchange, Zabell said. It’s clear that there is a lot of anger and hurt, but citizens have remained respectful, he said.

Zambrano-Montes was not carrying a gun or knife when officers shot him in the torso as he ran from police. Police investigators from the Tri-City Special Investigations Unit are investigating the Feb. 10 fatal shooting that happened at a busy intersection near Fiesta Foods.

The three Pasco officers involved in the shooting have been placed on paid administrative leave and no Pasco officers are taking part in the unit’s investigation.

Franklin County Coroner Dan Blasdel has called for an inquest. This mean means a jury of six will decide the cause and manner of death and whether the shooting was justified. Franklin County Prosecutor Shawn Sant then would review the jury’s decision and ultimately decide if the shooting was justified.

Councilman Saul Martinez said he was proud how people in the community have voiced their opinions and stood up for what they believe in. All he wants is to see is justice served, he said.

“We are going to do everything we can,” he said. “We are limited in what we can do because we have to deal with facts.”

But he said he knows at the end “everybody will not be happy, but justice will be served.” His comments were followed by applause.

Pasco was shaken when Zambrano-Montes was killed, said Pasco Mayor Matt Watkins. It permanently changed the lives of his family and that of three Pasco police officers.

Elizabeth Philo of Richland told the council she was offended that Watkins compared the pain of Zambrano-Montes’ family to that of the families of the police officers. They did not lose anyone, she said.

Her family was horrified to see a man who had a rock in his hand gunned down on the local news, she said.

Jeremy Peterson, an organizer with Occupy Tri-Cities, asked council members to join hands with the women, men and children who attended the council meeting in a symbolic gesture to show resolve to come together as a community.

“We are going to do everything we can together to make sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen again,” he said.

Though most of the members of the public who attended joined hands, the council did not.

Councilman Al Yenney questioned what the group’s goals were. He referenced a sign that urged the arrest of the three officers who were involved in the shooting. He said that was something he could not support now.

Philo said they weren’t asking the council members to sign anything or pledge anything, just to hold hands.

Mayor Pro Tem Rebecca Francik said most of the council likely wanted to join hands but as leaders had to make the decision to remain neutral and wait while the case is being investigated.

It’s absolutely critical for city leadership to remain neutral during the investigation until the facts of the case come out, Zabell said.

It will take some time for the community to get the answers it wants, he said.

“We have some video but there is a lot of questions that remain,” he said. He mentioned that questions were coming in not only from the local community but nationally and even internationally.

Zabell said he and police Chief Bob Metzger are out of the loop when it comes to the investigation.

“Personally, I don’t want any inside information, and I know the chief feels the same way, not that we would be offered any,” Zabell said.

Ruben Martinez, who described himself as a concerned Tri-City citizen, told council members he and others are wondering why the officers are on paid administrative leave when an average citizen who was involved in a shooting death would be in jail while the death was investigated.

He that he respected the council members’ positions as elected officials. He said he wants to see Pasco improve so it can continue to draw in new residents and economic development.

He also said he wants to see better training for police, as well as a change in the attitudes police have toward citizens.

Daniel Colon of West Richland said that while the shooting happened in Pasco, the Tri-Cities is one community.

“I just hope we can come up with solutions so we don’t have to go through this again,” he said.

Peterson asked the council and city officials to continue to keep open communication during this process.

Zabell and other city leaders commended the Zambrano-Montes family for their peaceful and calm response to the tragic death. Zabell said the family set the tone for the protest held Saturday, which was attended by about 700 people.

He also said Occupy Tri-Cities and local Hispanic leaders did a wonderful job facilitating the protest so it remained peaceful. There was not a single major incident or arrest, and organizers stopped those who tried to make trouble.

And Volunteer Park, where the protesters met to march to the site of Zambrano-Montes death on Lewis Street and 10th Avenue, was immaculate after the event, Zabell said.

This story was originally published February 17, 2015 at 10:27 PM with the headline "Pasco City Council listens to concerns about shooting."