“…with a heavy heart” his last day will be August 11th

By Allen D. Payton

With rumors beginning to circulate in the community Antioch Police Chief Steve Ford announced his retirement on Wednesday afternoon, July 19, 2023. His last day will be August 11th.

After less than nine months in his permanent position as the leader of the department, Ford wrote to his staff, “Dear members of the Antioch Police Department,

It is with a heavy heart that I forward this email to inform that I will be retiring as of August 11th. My time here has been both a tremendous opportunity and quite challenging. What is most meaningful to me are the relationships I have forged. I’m grateful for the way you embraced me and the changes we made.

I firmly believe with your help and determination this organization is poised to move forward in a very meaningful way and evolve where anyone would want to work.

It’s been my privilege to have worked with all of you.

Sincerely,

Steve”

Although he had just started his tenure as interim police chief following a grand oath of office ceremony on April 27, 2022, Ford is named in a federal lawsuit regarding the Antioch officers’ racist text scandal which covered a time period ending that month. He is also scheduled to testify at a hearing this Friday, July 21, in a murder case involving four defendants whose attorneys claim officers violated their civil rights.

In addition, during their meeting on April 11, 2023, the council majority moved forward with an effort to directly hire the police chief instead of leaving it up to the city manager, as is done with all other department heads.

It will leave the City with an acting city manager, no assistant city manager, an acting public works director, currently no acting community development director as of Monday afternoon due to the departure of Forrest Ebbs last Friday, and no assistant city attorney. Unless the city council takes action to change who appoints the police chief, Acting City Manager Kwame Reed will be tasked with appointing an acting or interim chief. Captain Tony Morefield filled that position after former Chief Tammany Brooks left for a new job in Boise, Idaho in October 2021, until Ford came on board.

UPDATE 1: When reached for comment District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica said, “this took us all by surprise. I learned of it this evening. I’ve worked with the chief closely during the time he has been here. Now, that he has made his decision, what we need to do is regroup and talk about who to appoint as acting or interim chief. Kwame is going to need the support of the city council. We cannot be without a chief.”

UPDATE 2: Chief Ford Issues Statement to Community

The following press release was issued Wednesday night:

July 19, 2023 – Antioch, California

The Antioch Police Department announces the retirement of Chief Steven A. Ford effective August 11, 2023. The following is a statement from Chief Ford to the Antioch Community.

To the Antioch Community,

I am writing to inform you of my decision to retire from the Antioch Police Department as of August 11, 2023. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to have served as your Chief. I have worked with some very talented and passionate people – it has been a great privilege to learn and grow from them.

I am proud of what we have accomplished and firmly believe the groundwork has been laid for organizational success. I know our work to align us with the tenants of Procedural Justice and Constitutional Policing will keep this Department headed in the right direction. I sincerely hope our engagement with the Community will continue and flourish.

I attribute our numerous accomplishments to support from the City Council, the tremendous Citizens of Antioch, and the talented members of this Police Department, who continue to embrace organizational changes with enthusiasm and dedication. Because of this, the Antioch Police Department has become more inclusive, equitable, and a better place to work.

Sincerely,

Steven A. Ford

Chief of Police

———-

Efforts to reach Ford for further comment and the other four council members for their responses were unsuccessful prior to publication Wednesday evening. Please check back later for any updates to this report.

Bail set at $2,575,000; 17-year-old Antioch suspect died from his injuries; victim is 21-year-old Antioch man

By Brentwood Police Department

The surviving suspect in Friday night’s shooting that occurred in the 800 block of Marjoram Drive in Brentwood at approximately 7:45 P.M. was identified as Antonio Barajas, a 20-year-old Walnut Creek resident. Barajas (born 12/29/2002) was booked at the Martinez Detention Facility, Saturday morning (7/15/23) for the following:

1. Attempted Murder

2. Attempted Robbery

3. Conspiracy

4. Assault w/ a Deadly Weapon

5. False Imprisonment

6. Discharging a firearm at an occupied vehicle

7. Carrying a loaded firearm in public

According to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department, his bail was set at $2,575,000.

As previously reported, Barajas was not injured but the 21-year-old victim from Antioch was. The 17-year-old suspect from Antioch was transported to an area hospital in critical condition but later succumbed to his injuries. (See related article)

Anyone with information related to this shooting is asked to contact Detective Inerbichler or Detective Goold at 925-809-7911. Callers may remain anonymous. 

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Attended Deer Valley High; brings sworn total to 99

By Antioch Police Department

Please welcome new Antioch Police Officer Jefferson Yega!

Officer Yega was born in Cameroon, which is a country in Western Africa. He moved to Antioch in 2012 and attended Deer Valley High School. Prior to joining Antioch PD, Officer Yega was a police officer in Oakdale, and has over six years of experience. In his spare time, Officer Yega enjoys weight training and going on long runs.

Fun Fact: Officer Yega plays the guitar and enjoys listening to guitar tunes. If you search YouTube, you may find a video or two of his musical talents!

If you would like to join Officer Yega in keeping Antioch safe, please visit https://joinantiochpd.com and click on the ‘contact us’ tab to get in touch with one of our recruiters. We offer a $30,000 signing bonus, along with an outstanding salary/benefits package for entry-level and lateral police officers.

Started with altercation during event at nearby restaurant; over 70 gunshots fired; police seek help identifying unknown suspect(s); deceased victim not yet identified

By Allen D. Payton

On Saturday morning, July 15, 2023, Antioch Police crime scene investigators and detectives investigated a fatal shooting on W. First Street near I Street in Antioch a little after 2:00 am Saturday. According to Acting Lt. James Colley, a Black male age 45 is deceased and two Black females in their late 20’s had superficial, non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.

More than 60 bullet casings could be seen on the ground, Colley shared. Two cars had been shot up, including a white sedan sitting in the adjacent dirt lot Saturday morning which “is the victim’s vehicle” he stated. The other vehicle was an unrelated SUV, sitting on W. First Street Saturday morning, and had its windows shot out, was “caught in the crossfire”, Colley added.

Asked if any of the victims had been in attendance at the event at Monica’s Riverview, he said, “we don’t know that at this time.”

Asked Monday afternoon for the identity of the deceased man, Deputy Sanchez of the Contra Costa County Coroner’s Office, “we have not released his name because we don’t have ID nor next of kin, yet.”

Colley, of the APD Investigations Bureau, released the following information Monday afternoon:

“On July 15, shortly after 02:00 am, Antioch Police received several calls for service regarding a shooting near the 200 Block of I Street. Upon arrival to the scene, Antioch Police located one Black male adult who was shot several times. The male later died of his injuries at a local Bay Area hospital. The Antioch Police Investigations Bureau responded to the scene and took over the investigation. No further information will be released at this time.

The Antioch Police Investigations Bureau responded to reports of a homicide on Saturday, July 15 shortly after 2:00 am at Monica’s Riverview, located in the downtown area of Antioch. Detectives learned Monica’s hosted an afterhours party (RnB and Chill), which per witnesses had several hundred people in attendance. During the event, several patrons began to exchange words, which led to a physical altercation outside of the restaurant. During the physical exchange, over 70 gunshots were fired, resulting in the death of a 45- year-old Black male adult. During the gunfire, two females were also hit, but sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The deceased male was an Antioch resident.

The Investigations Bureau is still actively working this homicide and following up on potential suspect leads. Any witnesses with information are strongly encouraged to contact detectives for follow up.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Walnut Creek man also involved, arrested; victim who shot back not yet arrested

By Captain Walter O’Grodnick, Brentwood Police Department

On Friday, July 14, 2023 around 7:45 PM Brentwood Police officers were dispatched to the 800 block of Marjoram Drive for a shooting that just occurred. A preliminary investigation suggests two males exchanged gunfire, both were hit by gunfire and transported to local hospitals for treatment, one of which sustained serious injuries.

Others were detained on-scene as part of the investigation. This was an isolated incident with no apparent threat to public safety and the motive for the shooting is still under investigation.

While a group of people were leaving a home on Chili Court in Brentwood, two suspects, a 17-year-old male resident of Antioch, and a 20-year-old male resident of Walnut Creek attempted to rob a 21-year-old male resident of Antioch, while all three were armed. All three exchanged gunfire on Marjoram Drive, striking the 17-year-old suspect and 21-year-old victim. The 20-year-old suspect was not injured. Three firearms were recovered at the scene.

The 21-year-old victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The 17-year-old was transported to an area hospital in critical condition. The teen later succumbed to his injuries.

The 20-year-old from Walnut Creek has been arrested but not the 21-year-old from Antioch, yet.

All names are being withheld at this time and there remains no threat to public safety. The investigation is ongoing and no additional information is being released at this time. Anyone with information related to this shooting is asked to contact Detective Inerbichler or Detective Goold at 925-809-7911. Callers may remain anonymous.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

24-year-old killed, 21-year-old suffering from multiple gunshot wounds transported to local hospital is in serious, but stable, condition.

By Pittsburg Police Department

On July 14, 2023, at 5:12 pm Pittsburg Police officers responded to the 2100 block of Crestview Lane after dispatch received a call of gunshots heard in the area. As officers were responding, a vehicle entered the Pittsburg Police Department parking lot and the driver summoned officers to his car. The officers stopped and found the driver and one passenger inside the vehicle, both suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Officers rendered medical aid to the two men until paramedics arrived. Unfortunately, the passenger, a 24-year-old male of Antioch, did not survive. UPDATE: He was later identified as Trevon Richardson.

The driver, a 21-year-old male also of Antioch, was transported to a local hospital where he was listed in serious, but stable, condition.

As these officers were tending to the victims in the police department parking lot, more officers responded to the area of Crestview Lane where the original caller heard gunshots. This is where officers located evidence of a shooting. Detectives were called in and are actively working leads.

Due to this being an active investigation, the identities of the victims are being withheld and there will be no further information released at this time.

We ask anyone who has information related to this case to please contact Dispatch at 925-646-2441, or Detective Gutierrez at 925-252-4095

Police previously reported unborn baby did not survive; her mother claimed unborn baby was driver’s; says he forced his way into car, wants him arrested, but TRO may not have been served; she leaves behind a one-year old daughter; services scheduled, GoFundMe page set up.

By Allen D. Payton

7/13/23 UPDATE: In response to the questions sent to Antioch Police on Monday, July 10, 2023, according to APD Public Information Liaison Sgt. Price Kendall, “the young lady was not pregnant. As for your additional questions, they all pertain to the investigation, which is still ongoing.”

In an earlier report, police claimed the unborn baby did not survive.

Asked if the driver had been arrested and about the restraining order, Kendall said, “No. Orders have to be served. What was going on beforehand (inside Fierro’s vehicle) is part of the investigation. All parties have been contacted in the investigation.”

ORIGINAL STORY: The family of the young, pregnant woman who, along with her unborn baby, died during a crash in Antioch, last Thursday, July 6, 2023, want her estranged, ex-boyfriend who was driving the car, arrested.

Fierro’s friend who was a passenger in the car, sustained a broken arm and leg in the crash and was still in the hospital as of Monday morning, Ruiz shared. Sanchez-Salinas “also went to the hospital with a broken arm but is out and wasn’t arrested,” she said.

According to the Antioch Police, the driver of the other vehicle suffered chest pain and was transported to an area hospital for treatment. (See related article)

“My daughter was in the car with her friend and ex-boyfriend who she had a restraining order against,” Ruiz explained. “They were at a park, and he forced himself into the car and pushed her into the passenger side from the driver’s seat so he could drive the car. The friend said both women started hitting him to try and get him out of the car. He said he wasn’t going to stop until he ran out of gas.”

“That’s why Angela wasn’t wearing her seatbelt. She was fighting for her life,” her sister Marisela Madrigal stated.

Asked how they knew that information, Ruiz and Madrigal said they had spoken to the friend who was the other passenger.

Ruiz said she had previously found a tracking device in Fierro’s car which is how they believe Sanchez-Salinas located her.

“Angela told me that she could hear it beeping,” Ruiz stated. That means he was checking for her location.

Fierro’s car was a black Jeep that rolled over onto its top in the collision.

“He caused it for sure. He should have been locked up,” Ruiz stated. “I don’t know why he’s walking around here, free. I have no contact with him.”

A candlelight vigil was held for Fierro and her unborn baby on Friday night, July 7th.

“He had the balls to go to where my daughter’s candlelight vigil was held,” Ruiz exclaimed.

Sanchez-Salinas showed up after everyone had left and tagged the fence and sidewalk with spray paint next to the display writing, “My ride or die forever – Alex” and “LLA Angie’s World”, meaning Long Live Angie, her family friend, Adrianna Osuna shared.

The family was not happy with Sanchez-Salinas doing that.

“He just won’t stop hurting us,” Madrigal added.

“It’s a disgrace. It’s like he’s saying he got away with what he did,” Ruiz stated. “Basically making fun of us.”

“Taunting the family and not letting them mourn in peace,” said another relative who is helping the family but chose to not be identified.

Asked if she had spoken with the police, Ruiz said, “The police have not spoken to me. They were supposed to call me back yesterday at 12 but never did. They spoke to Angela’s father and told him they can release her body today or tomorrow.”

Fierro, who lived with her mother, had been having problems with Sanchez-Salinas for the past four-to-five months, Ruiz stated.

The relative said Ruiz was instructed by her attorney to get a copy of the incident report of how many times police were called to Ruiz’s and Fierro’s home regarding Sanchez-Salinas “who would just show up there randomly. He went there on July 4th and 5th but had been there previously, too. It was several times, but we won’t know how many until we get the report.” That could take up to 10 days.

The EPO was granted automatically by the court due to the multiple times Sanchez-Salinas had shown up at the home after their relationship ended in mid-May. They had been dating for less than a year.

About Angela

Fierro was born on October 18, 2002, at Kaiser Walnut Creek and was raised in Antioch, her mother shared. She graduated from Prospects High School. Fierro “was 20 years old and worked at Walmart handling the online orders,” Ruiz continued. “She was into old cars, fast cars and fashion. She liked to show she was a princess.”

Asked how far along Fierro was in her pregnancy the mother and grandmother said, “She just told me she was pregnant.”

“She wanted to be a veterinarian and was going to start taking classes and asked if I could watch her baby,” Ruiz shared. Sanchez-Salinas is not the father of Fierro’s one-year old daughter who is “now with her father.”

Private family services have been scheduled and a GoFundMe page has been set up to cover funeral costs and to support her baby, which reads, “Angela was a young and beautiful mother expecting her second child, who was unfortunately pronounced dead on the scene alongside her unborn child after a terrible car accident on July 6th 2023. Angela was a loving mother, daughter, and granddaughter who left an empty space in the hearts of all her family and friends. Please help lay her to rest. Any donation helps and will be appreciated.”

Efforts to reach Sanchez-Salinas and Antioch Police Officer Blumberg who is handling the case were unsuccessful prior to publication time. Questions were emailed to Blumberg Monday afternoon asking about the investigation including if Sanchez-Salinas had been arrested and if not, why due to the violation of the protective order. But no response was received. An effort to reach the friend, whose name is being withheld, by phone was also unsuccessful. Please check back for any updates to this report.

Those who merely received the offensive texts need to be protecting us; DA must release all pages of texts

By Allen D. Payton

It’s time the Antioch Police officers caught up in the scandal of racist and other offensive texts who merely received but didn’t send any of the texts got back to work. With 35 sworn officers currently on paid administrative leave in both the FBI and DA investigation from last year and those included in the text scandal this year, that’s more than one-third of the current officers on the force.  The understaffing is putting us all at risk. In addition, for the purpose of transparency, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office needs to release all pages of the texts so the public can read what was sent and the context.

As of June 12th, there were 98 sworn officers on staff with the department out of 115 authorized in the budget, and 49 on full duty. That’s 0.43 officers per 1,000 on duty. The goal has been 1.2 officers per 1,000 for the past 25 years, which has never been achieved. Minimally we should have 1.0 officers per 1,000 population.

The officers in the text scandal have been on leave for about three months and the investigation has been under way for almost two months – leaving our community less protected and less safe.

Those officers who didn’t send any of the offensive texts, but merely received them and didn’t respond – which is most of them – should have been interviewed, first during the investigation. Unless other information has been discovered during the process, those officers need to be cleared and put back to work protecting Antioch residents and businesses.

For example, as previously reported, on Independence Day, Tuesday, July 4th it took officers an hour to respond to a dangerous sideshow at the intersection of Lone Tree Way and Blue Rock Drive/Golf Course Road because those on duty were dealing with two shootings on the other side of town. In addition, according to a Con Fire spokesman, an ambulance transporting someone to a local hospital had to be diverted around the sideshow. Fortunately, it didn’t have an impact on the patient. But minutes can make a difference in saving someone’s life.

All 35 officers should not be fired, as Mayor Lamar Thorpe twice wrote should happen immediately, first on May 19 then again on June  12, Mayor Pro Tem Tamisha Torres-Walker wrote on May 18 and other members of the public have called for. That’s irresponsible and dangerous for our city with a population of over 115,000 residents. Besides, the council members have no say in which officer will or won’t be fired and it’s out of their area of responsibility to call for such a thing, and merely pandering to the public and grandstanding. Frankly, the council members’ calls for the termination of all officers involved could serve to undermine the effort to terminate some of the officers and give them a legal argument that it was done due to political pressure.

The councilmembers know or at least should know better, and that the City must follow the Skelly Hearing disciplinary process and the investigation must be done in accordance with the California Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights Act.

As the East Bay Times’ Editorial Board wrote, “they are entitled to due process. Not all of them have equal culpability. And if their rights are not respected, the city risks undermining the ongoing criminal and internal affairs investigations into their behavior, which would set back the quest for racial justice. Which is why City Council members, especially Mayor Lamar Thorpe, need to step back and let investigators do their work — and stop making politically charged comments that could jeopardize the outcome.”

As I wrote in April, those in APD leadership who received the texts, as a form of discipline for not paying attention to what the officers they were in charge of were doing, need to be demoted. But they should still be put back to work, also.

The focus of the council, police department and investigators must be two-fold: one, terminating and/or disciplining the guilty officers, and two, keeping Antioch safe.

DA Must Release All Pages of Texts

It’s also time the DA’s office released all the pages of the texts to clear up the claims that the the two reports by the D.A. Office’s Inspector Wallace were “misleading and distorted” according to the APOA’s attorney, and the texts included were cherry picked and edited, so the public can see the context in which they were all written. (See related articles here and here)

One text message specifically in question is the following: On 04/24/2020, at 5:49 p.m., APD Sgt. Josh Evans text APD Officer Amiri, “I’ll bury that n****r in my fields.” APD Officer Amiri laughed at the above comment.

A Public Records Act request by this news organization was made on April 27 and denied on May 2.

Deputy District Attorney Sophea Nop denied the request claiming “these records are exempt from disclosure under the California Public Records Act pursuant to GC (Government Code) §7923.6000(a) and §7927.705.”

According to law.justia.com, the first section referenced “does not require the disclosure of records of complaints to, or investigations conducted by, or records of intelligence information or security procedures of, the office of the Attorney General and the Department of Justice, the Office of Emergency Services and any state or local police agency, or any investigatory or security files compiled by any other state or local police agency, or any investigatory or security files compiled by any other state or local agency for correctional, law enforcement, or licensing purposes.” The second section referenced “does not require disclosure of records, the disclosure of which is exempted or prohibited pursuant to federal or state law, including, but not limited to, provisions of the Evidence Code relating to privilege.”

Nop was informed that those close to Sgt. Evans have said that his text was taken out of context and was in response to a joke about another officer being with Evans’ wife in their yard and Evans was referring to that make believe officer who doesn’t actually exist.

She was then asked to at least provide the complete text exchange between Amiri and Evans prior to that message which was included in the first report.

Nop was asked via email, “How can the public know the context of some of the messages – which officers and others are claiming were taken out of context – if the complete text message exchanges are not provided?” She did not respond.

While I don’t believe it will change much regarding the outcome for the five or six officers who sent the offensive texts and are being sued, for the purpose of transparency, all the texts in their original form must be released.

All pages of the texts are expected to be made available to attorneys representing the officers during the discovery phase of the lawsuit. Perhaps at that time they will also be made available to this and other news organizations for the public to read.