Los Angeles, CA – Family, neighbors, supporters and Centro Community Service Organization (CSO) attended an October 16 press conference, rally and celebration of the life of Eric Briceno, who was killed by East LA Sheriffs in Maywood, California. Other families who have lost loved ones to police killings also joined the Briceno family. Well-known civil rights attorney Samuel Paz had asked Centro CSO to help the Briceno family.

Briceno was killed on March 16 after his parents called 911 for help with a mental health crisis. Briceno was beaten and tased to death in his bedroom, after he woke up to sheriffs shouting his name. He had no weapon and posed no threat to anyone.

October 16 would have been Briceno's 40th birthday. His family hopes to bring attention to these senseless police killings and demands prosecution of the deputies involved.

At the rally, Blanca Briceno, Eric Bricenos’s mother, spoke about how kind and lovely Briceno was, and contrasted it with the ELA sheriffs’ brutality. Briceno's sister Blanca also spoke not just about the grief the family is suffering but of their determination to fight for justice. Also speaking was prominent civil rights Chicano attorney Humberto Guizar, with Justice X Law Advocates. He denounced the gangs within the LA County Sheriffs.

The family asked Carlos Montes, well-known Chicano activist with Centro CSO, to speak. Montes called for the prosecution of the involved deputies, community control of police, and the November 3 election ouster of current LA County District Attorney Jackie Lacey, as well as Trump.

Centro CSO, along with Black Lives Matter-LA are planning a rally and get-out-the-vote event on October 25, starting at El Sereno Community Garden at 10 a.m.

The Briceno family, joined by neighbors and supporters, marched in their Maywood neighborhood. A Mexican-style band played during the procession. Briceno's family carried a banner which read, “Justice for Eric Briceno.”

Those who marched included Rosa Moreno, whose son César Rodríguez was killed by Long Beach Police; Germán Romero, whose son Jesse Romero was killed by LAPD Hollenbeck station in Boyle Heights, and two family members of Anthony Vargas, killed by East LA Sheriffs. Centro CSO helped in leading the procession, coordinated traffic control and the sound system and led chants.

Briceno attended and graduated from Fishburn Elementary School, Nimitz Middle School and Bell High School. He was well liked by his neighbors and enjoyed music.

“My brother was planning on hiring a band like this one for his 40th birthday,” said Sasha Gamboa, sister of Briceno. “He was so excited for his birthday, so we wanted to make sure he had this band present today.” She marched holding her brother's urn filled with his ashes. When asked about this gesture Gamboa said, “I know Eric would've carried me, too.”

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