Anaheim, CA – Rosie Camacho approached the Anaheim City Council podium, April 21, clutching a woven doll to her chest. Camacho was Albert Arzola’s mother, and the doll symbolized the spirit of her son.

Camacho said, “December 6 will never be the same. The people that were supposed to take care of him murdered him! They murdered my son, right in front of my eyes! And you want me to trust them?”

Camacho continued, “I need to know who shot my son! I bet you he’s still on the police force doing his job, trying to kill the next person.”

Twelve members of Albert’s family, along with members of Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC), demanded justice at Anaheim City Council. In a victory for the family, and after months of public pressure, by the end of the council meeting Mayor Ashleigh Aitken announced that the killer cop’s name was released to the Arzola family’s attorneys. Aitken also asked City Attorney Robert Fabela for progress on the release of the autopsy report. The struggle for other demands continues, including the public release of the killer cop’s name, his firing from the Department, and more.

Grace Arzola, aunt of Albert Arzola, said, “Albert was killed at 9:32 p.m. As a lifetime resident of Anaheim, on Sunday, I was here and the Disney fireworks were going off. It dawned on me that my nephew sat on the ground, losing his life, and less than a mile away, you guys had fireworks. The comparison that less than a mile makes in the way we get treated.”

Adlai Carrillo said that the night Albert was killed by Anaheim PD, no one called for police. The officers who killed Albert were on a so-called “gang suppression patrol.” Carrillo said, “We all know what these patrols have become: a tool used to target, discriminate against, and harass people in underserved communities under the label of ‘proactive policing’. And because of that, officers ‘made contact’ with Albert without any legitimate reason.” Carrillo said, “Why did your officer jump out of his car with his gun already drawn? Finger already on the trigger, ready to fire before assessing anything?”

Grace Arzola explained how the second officer who ambushed Albert that night never activated his body camera. She said, “If he’s still on the force and working, why hasn’t he been fired? That is something so crucial. That’s why you guys gave them those cameras: to show the transparency of the whole incident. But in the most important moment, when you take someone’s life away, his camera was off? And now you guys wanna put us under surveillance? This is a joke!”

Arzola was referring to a city council decision to approve automatic license plate reader equipment. This technology is marketed as a way to reduce crime, but in reality it is used to surveil the public and in cities across the country, data has been shared with federal agencies like ICE. Later that night, Anaheim City Council unanimously voted to approve the equipment at the cost of $736,344, despite public outcry.

Marie Flores Cofinco connected past to present when she spoke on the 2016 Anaheim PD killing of Fermin Vincent Valenzuela. “I am here to remind the city of Anaheim, to remind the councilmembers and the mayor of the murder of my nephew: Fermin Vincent Valenzuela. On July 2, 2016, officer Daniel Wolfe strangled my nephew to death with the help of officer Woojin Jun, under the supervision of Sergeant Daniel Gonzalez.” Cofinco said, “Sergeant Gonzalez supervised and gave instructions to Daniel Wolfe telling him to ‘Hold that choke. Hold that choke. Hold that choke.’”

According to Cofinco, during the trial, about 40 to 50 uniformed Anaheim police officers entered the courtroom in an attempt to intimidate Valenzuela’s family. But in the end the city was forced to pay $13.2 million to Valenzuela’s children.

CSO member David Pulido said, “You are hiding the identity of Albert’s killer. You are hiding the fact that Anaheim PD is filled with killers. The officer who killed Marcel Ceja in 2011 is still on the force. His name is David Garcia. The officers who killed Fermin Vincent Valenzuela are still on the force. Their names are Woojin Jun and Daniel Wolfe. The officer who killed Joel Acevedo in 2012 and Caesar Cruz in 2009 is still on the force. His name is Kelly Phillips. I know this because CSO recently secured the updated rosters for Anaheim PD.”

Pearl Arzola, Albert’s sister, brought up the fact that the city tried to hide the officer’s name by claiming unproven threats to the killer cop’s life. She said, “How are we threatening you guys? All we are demanding is justice. Justice for my brother is not a threat! You guys have guns. We don’t have guns!”

Pulido concluded his comment saying, “For decades Anaheim and its police have stood in the way of justice for families. That is why CSO fights for community control of the police. We have to build our own power to hold police accountable. Your Police Review Board was a start but it didn’t go far enough. We need a democratically elected commission with the power to discipline and fire killer cops. Justice for Albert Arzola! Justice for Fermin Vincent Valenzuela! Justice for Joey Acevedo!”

#AnaheimCA #CA #OrangeCounty #CSOOC #AlbertArzola #InjusticeSystem #KillerCop