Oakland: More than a hundred gather for vigil for 30-year-old shot, killed by police
OAKLAND -- More than a hundred people gathered Friday evening on Lakeshore Avenue at the site of where police shot and killed 30-year-old Demouria Hogg.
The vigil organized by the Anti Police-Terror Project drew family, friends and supporters to the busy shopping district along Lakeshore Avenue at Lake Park Avenue for a peaceful protest.
Organizers took over the intersection at 6:30 p.m. and traffic on Lakeshore Avenue came to standstill and the Interstate 580 westbound off-ramp was backed up as protesters locked arms around a makeshift replica of the vehicle Hogg was found sleeping in.
Once attendees took the street, they had a moment of silence for Hogg. Activists planned on blocking the intersection until sundown.
"This is where they murdered him, this is the street we'll hold," said activist Cat Brooks.
Attendees heard from Hogg's family and relatives of other people killed in officer-involved shootings.
They're demanding that police release any footage that captured the shooting and police or coroners reports. Relatives also remand that an independent investigator be brought in to investigate the fatal shooting.
"It's disturbing someone could be asleep in their car, and the only action officers can take is to kill (somebody)," said Brianna Gibson, 23, of Oakland, with the Oakland Chapter of Black Youth Project.
As the street takeover began, organizers worked as traffic control to direct drivers on the off-ramp to turn right and not left toward Lakeshore Avenue. Oakland Police directed motorists from I-580 to take Wesley Avenue soon after. About a dozen officers were on standby near the vigil.
There were no arrests as of 7:30 p.m.
Hogg, a father of three, was killed June 6 after a standoff with police. City firefighters called police to the area about 7:30 a.m. after seeing Hogg passed out behind the wheel of a BMW, with a loaded handgun sitting on the passenger seat, police said.
Over the next hour, police tried to wake Hogg by using a loudspeaker, breaking out the car's windows, and ordering him to surrender. When police approached the car to apprehend him, a female officer shot him twice, authorities have said. He was pronounced dead at Highland Hospital.
An attorney for the officer said she fired because Hogg reached for the pistol next to him. The police department has not identified the officer, who has been with the department for a little more than a year.
Hogg's family and family friend and activist Brooks have questioned the shooting, and called for police to release more information. Hogg was recently living in Hayward but has ties to Oakland.
His family said he wasn't a violent person and carried a gun for protection. He has been wanted since April on a parole violation and has served five years in prison after his conviction for drug possession and being an accessory to a felony, records show.
