Sunday, December 17th 2017, 8:30 pm
Protestors marched downtown Sunday in support of Magdiel Sanchez.
It was the first large demonstration for Sanchez since the District Attorney announced the officers involved in his shooting would not be charged.
Read Related Story: No Charges Filed Against OKC Officers In Fatal Shooting Of Deaf Man
“Everybody is still very, very angry, especially with the decision that was made last week by this being a justified killing,” Brown Berets leader and protest organizer Debra Mendoza said.
It all started in September.
Oklahoma City Police were following up on a hit and run involving Sanchez’s father, when they came upon Sanchez, who was deaf.
According to the DA, Sanchez was holding a pipe and swinging it at police, before an officer shot him.
Read Related Story: Neighbors Say Deaf Man Shot By OKC Officer Wasn't A Threat
“Sanchez continued to swing the object in an aggressive matter,” District Attorney David Prater said on December 8.
However, deaf demonstrators at Sunday’s protest said police need better training when it comes to their community, so something like this doesn’t happen again.
“That's an atrocity. It's terrible to be able to ignore that fact and that he can't hear you when you’re responding orders,” Donna Fine, of the Deaf Grass Roots Movement of Oklahoma, said.
Mendoza says Sunday’s march won’t be the last in Sanchez’s honor.
“We are going to come back out here. We are going to keep on bringing this to the attention of the police department,” Mendoza said.
Read Related Story: Deaf Community Leaders React To Deadly OKCPD Shooting
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