Dare to Struggle led a protest with the family of Alejandro Campos Rios, the homeless, and Fullerton residents on July 5th at 5 pm. The rally began at the Kelly Thomas memorial to make demands for justice and speak out against the brutal oppression and murder that Fullerton cops perpetrate on residents. The 30 to 40 protestors walked to Walk on Wilshire and from there to the Fullerton Police Department.

A Dare to Struggle representatives spoke to demand justice for Alejandro Campos Rios. “He was a 50-year-old homeless man who was not doing anything outside of McDonald’s on Orangethorpe and Brookhurst at 3 am when six officers showed up. They tased him, and then they shot him many times with less-lethal rounds.”

Hector Hernandez was another victim. According to the district attorney’s report and an accompanying video, one of Hernandez’s sons called the police to report his stepfather for being drunk, hitting his brother, and brandishing a knife. The boy also said that Hernandez had armed himself with a gun and fired the weapon. 

After police arrived, body-worn camera footage of the shooting shows Ferrell approaching Hernandez’s home with his K-9 dog unit while officers have their guns drawn. In the footage, as Ferrell gets up to the home, he directs the dog toward Hernandez, who is standing in his front yard with his hands up. The D.A. report says Hernandez turned as though he were going back inside his home. Ferrell believed there were children still in the house. 

The police footage and the D.A. report reference that the dog first disobeyed, ran toward other officers, and then, at the urging of Ferrell, the dog rushed toward Hernandez and took him down. Hernandez puts one of his arms down and takes a 3-inch knife from his pocket. After the dog takes him down, Hernandez stabs the dog near the shoulder blade. 

Ferrell runs up to Hernandez, fires a shot, yells, “He’s got a knife!” and fires another round. Ferrell pulls the dog from Hernandez, tearing away at Hernandez’s shirt. See video footage at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqONr02vrpg. In a press release, OCDA Todd Spitzer said the use of force was justified and declined to file charges against Ferrell. Neighbors and family members who witnessed the shooting questioned why police had not used non-lethal tasers or rubber bullets.

“We demand justice for all victims. Also, there should be fully funded 24-hour mental health services everywhere. In OC, there are only daytime mental health services. These cops need to get off our streets. As an option, they should take funding away from the police and put those funds into 24-hour mental health services. Hector Hernandez, Kelly Thomas, David Sullivan, and Alejandro Campos Rios need real justice by firing and prosecuting these killer cops,” said a Dare to Struggle representative.

After speaking at recent City Council meetings, the members of Dare to Struggle were approached by members of the City Council and the police chief to have a meeting but declined, saying, “What is there to negotiate? Why should we compromise our calls for justice by meeting with the most important people within the City? As if they cannot just fire these officers or prosecute those responsible. Obviously, there’s some stuff with the DA, but they can at least fire them all, right? There should be no reason why we have to draw this out. The people have the power to get justice for Alejandro Rios and all other victims of Fullerton Police brutality.”

Fullerton Police Chief Jon Radus stated, “We put out a press release after the incident and a subsequent critical incident community briefing and released the videos. We contacted the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, and they are investigating the use of force.”