Youth say: Arrest killer cop

Protesters continue to demand justice in the killing of 13-year-old Andy Lopez on Oct. 22, 2013, by Sonoma County, Calif., Sheriff’s Deputy Erik Gelhaus. Lopez was killed for having a toy rifle in his hands. Andy’s Youth, a solidarity group, called a march on Feb. 17 demanding that the Santa Rosa Police Department show the public their findings and conclusions in their investigation. About 200 people, mostly youth, marched from the Old Courthouse in downtown Santa Rosa to the Santa Rosa Police Headquarters, where they held a youth speak-out.

Andy’s Youth stated: “The people have lost confidence and no longer believe that Jill Ravitch, along with the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office, can, with the highest level of moral and ethical standards, without bias, and with full transparency and impartiality, conduct any form of investigation. To assume that Jill Ravitch or the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office can perform their duties and prosecute these killer cops whenever the issue of police brutality arises is laughable and preposterous!”

“We want the District Attorney Jill Ravitch and the Santa Rosa Police Dept. to: 1. Provide the people with a copy of an unaltered, SRPD report; 2. Indict Erik Gelhaus with the crime of murder; 3. ID the “Unnamed Deputy” who was in the patrol car when Erik Gelhaus murdered Andy Lopez; and 4. Disqualify the So. Co. DA’s Office.”