Seven since she was elected include reports of gunshots, dirt bike riding, loud music, fireworks

Antioch District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker. Source: 2022 campaign

By Allen D. Payton

Due to reports that there have been multiple calls for service by Antioch police at the home of District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha-Torres Walker over the past few years, a Public Records Act request was made to the Antioch Police Department. The response shows there have been 11 reports of incidents at her home between June 2020 and last month.

Two of the calls were about the same loud music on the same day on August 21, 2021, and four calls were on Oct. 2 and 3, 2021, which ended in her being charged with interfering with a police officer who responded to the scene of five or six gunshots. The charges against her were later dropped by the District Attorney. (See related articles here and here)

That totals eight separate incidents resulting in calls for service by Antioch police at Torres-Walker’s home in Antioch, of which seven occurred since she was elected in November 2020.

Following is the information about the complaints provided by APD’s Police Records Supervisor Amanda Nelson (her specific address has been removed by the Herald): Calls for service at Torres-Walker’s home – APD 092022

• 10/5/21 5:30 pm at — Gary Ave. Reports of someone riding a dirt bike up and down the street.
• 10/3/21 1:35 am at — Gary Ave. Reports the vehicle that fired shots earlier had returned and several people got out of the vehicle with flashlights.
• 10/3/21 12:27 am at — Gary Ave. Reports of a loud party in the area and 5-6 shots heard.
• 10/2/21 6:46 pm at — Gary Ave. Reports a group of people drinking alcohol in front of this location, and driving dirt bikes up and down the street.
• 10/2/21 5:38 pm at — Gary Ave. Reports people riding dirt bikes on the street and popping wheelies. 8/29/21 4:21 pm at 508 Gary Ave. Reports disturbance amongst guests and one refusing to leave.  Related to loud music calls and also a dog being let out.
• 8/23/21 8:04 pm at — Gary Ave. Reports a group of juveniles riding quads and dirt bikes and then gathering at this location.
• 8/21/21 2:00 pm at — Gary Ave. Reports loud music came back on after officers drove by.
• 8/21/21 1:34 pm at — Gary Ave. Reports loud music coming from a parked vehicle.
• 3/20/21 7:31 pm at — Gary Ave. Reports subjects from this residence riding a quad on the sidewalk.
• 6/10/20 8:37 pm at — Gary Ave. Reports of fireworks coming from the backyard of this location.

Questions for Torres-Walker Go Unanswered

About the incidents and what she’s done in response Torres-Walker was asked, “Were you at home during each of the calls for service? Did you speak with officers each time? If not, were any of your children at home at the time and responsible for the incidents? If so, have you spoken to them about the behavior that resulted in reports to the police department resulting in calls for service at your home and if so, what did you tell them? Have you apologized to your neighbors for the incidents and the impact on their quality of life?”

In addition, she was asked, “for full transparency by you, will you ask the Antioch Police Department to release the police body camera video footage of the incident on Oct. 3 in which you were accused of and charged for interfering with a police officer and do so before the election?”

She did not respond prior to publication time.

First elected in 2020, Torres-Walker is running for re-election to her District 1 seat this year.

Please check back later for any updates to this report.

New hearing set for Dec. 13

By Allen D. Payton

According to an Antioch resident who was at the courthouse in Martinez, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, Mayor Lamar Thorpe did not show up for his DUI trial before Judge Joni T. Hiramoto, and that his lawyer stated Thorpe wants to change his plea from not guilty. The resident also shared that a new hearing for Thorpe is set for Dec. 13, 2022, in Dept 20. at 8:30 am. The information was later confirmed by Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office Public Information Officer, Ted Asregadoo.

Thorpe was arrested in March for DUI at 1:15 a.m. in Concord. In a Facebook video later that morning he apologized for having “the drink with dinner”. He wouldn’t say with whom or where he had dinner nor what alcohol he had consumed that night. Thorpe was charged by the DA and later pled not guilty. (See related articles here, here, here and here)

However, reports from the staff of an Antioch restaurant are that Thorpe had consumed three shots of alcohol earlier that evening before heading out of town.

An email was sent to Asregadoo Wednesday morning asking, if he could confirm the information provided by the resident was true and if not, to please provide the correct information. In addition, he was asked who from the DA’s office is prosecuting the case.

“You are correct,” he replied. “The next court date is on 12/13/22 at 8:30 am in Department 20.  They set the date today for a change of plea. I don’t know which DDA has been assigned to this case, but the supervisor of the misdemeanor trail team is Jay Melaas.”

Attempts to reach Thorpe were unsuccessful asking if what the resident shared is true and if not to please provide the correct information. He was also asked, “Why weren’t you there? Were you still in Seattle for the APTA conference or traveling home at the time? What will you be changing your plea to? No contest or guilty? Will you attend the new hearing on Dec. 13?”

Thorpe might have been traveling home from the conference, today and unable to respond to questions. An effort to reach staff of Tri Delta Transit asking who from the agency attended the conference and if Thorpe, who is the agency’s board vice chair, was among them were unsuccessful prior to publication time. District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson who is also a board member for the agency representing Antioch did not attend the conference, as was previously expected.

Please check back later for any updates to this report.

By Darryl Saffold, Public Information Officer, Investigations Bureau, Antioch Police Department

ANTIOCH, CA. On 10/11/2022 at approximately 11:05 PM, Antioch Police Department Dispatch received numerous 911 calls of a pedestrian down in the roadway who was suffering from major injuries. Callers located the victim approximately 160 feet south of the Contra Loma Boulevard and Buchanan Road intersection.

At approximately 11:08 PM, Antioch Officers arrived on scene and located a 50-year-old female who was in critical condition. Officers immediately began life-saving measures with the assistance of other Emergency Medical Services that arrived at the scene to assist. The victim was transported to a local area hospital where she was later pronounced deceased.

During the investigation, it was determined that the victim was crossing the street westbound at the Contra Loma Boulevard and Buchanan Road intersection. Simultaneously, a vehicle driving southbound on Contra Loma Boulevard, at a high rate of speed, struck the female while she was in the crosswalk and before she could make it safely to the other side of the road. The involved vehicle then fled the area and did not stop to check on the status of the victim before leaving.

Anyone with additional information about this incident is asked to contact the Antioch Police Department Traffic Unit at (925)779-6864 or email Officer Egan at Jegan@Antiochca.gov.

We offer our deepest condolences to the family of this tragic and unfortunate event.

Charges: assault with a deadly weapon and vehicular manslaughter as one of the three children was removed from life support and passed away

Ray Shaqil Reeves arrest and bail information. Source: Contra Costa Superior Court

By Allen D. Payton

On Tuesday, October 11, 2022, 29-year-old Ray Shaqil Reeves, was arrested in Oakley by Antioch Police officers for causing the accident that struck and injured three 12-year-old siblings, a girl and two boys, on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022, as they were walking home from school in Antioch. All three children were transported to hospitals and one of the boys was later removed from life support and passed away. (See related articles here and here)

Reeves caused the accident that resulted in the injuries. As previously reported, according to witnesses a red Chevrolet Impala struck a tan Mercury Mystique in the area of Sycamore Drive and Manzanita Way, forcing the Impala in the direction of the juveniles walking on the southwest corner of Sycamore Drive and Manzanita way.

According to witness statements, the Mercury Mystique was traveling westbound on Sycamore Drive and was waiting for traffic to clear before turning left (southbound) onto Manzanita Way. Simultaneously, the Chevrolet Impala exited Sycamore Square onto westbound Sycamore Drive at a high rate of speed. As the Impala approached the Mercury, the Impala attempted to pass the Mercury on the left just as the Mercury began to make the left-hand turn. Regrettably, the result was the Impala colliding into the Mercury, propelling the Impala in the direction of the juveniles reportedly walking home from school.

He was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility for violation of the following California Penal Code Sections: PC 192 (c)(1)-Vehicular Manslaughter, PC 245(a)(1)-Assault with a Deadly Weapon, PC 245(a)(1)-Assault with a Deadly Weapon, PC 245(a)(1)-Assault with a Deadly Weapon, PC 245(a)(1)-Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and PC 245(a)(1)-Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

UPDATE: His bail has been set at $390,000 and arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 1:30 p.m.

Charges filed against Ray Shaqil Reeves. Source: Contra Costa Superior Court

The Antioch Police Department thanked “the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office for hearing this case and filing charges against Reeves.”

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of one of the children and pray for the family and loved ones during this time of grief. Words fall short of expressing our sorrow for the victims of this extremely tragic incident,” the APD shared in their press release about the arrest.

New Antioch Police Officer Devin Eigard is given his oath of office by Interim Chief Steve Ford on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. Photo: APD

By Antioch Police Department

Sept. 12, 2022 – Antioch Family, please welcome the newest member to the Antioch Police Department, Officer Devin Eigard. Officer Eigard joins us as a Lateral Officer from the Solano County Sheriff’s Office with several years of experience.

More importantly, Officer Eigard is an Antioch native and attended Antioch High School before graduating from California Virtual Academy.

Here’s an interesting fact about Officer Eigard, while working for the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, he became the department’s first Traffic Motor Officer. Which doesn’t come as a surprise considering Monster Energy sponsored him for BMX riding in his youth…true story.

We can’t wait to see what tricks you have in store for the city of Antioch, Officer Eigard; welcome aboard!

Following unsuccessful attempts to de-escalate officers use non-lethal force to subdue him

The suspect’s knife used in the stabbing and robbery of another man on Oct. 14, 2022. Photo: APD

By Antioch Police Department

On October 4, 2022, at approximately 10:51 am, Antioch Police Department Dispatch was notified of a robbery in which the victim was stabbed in the chest. Witnesses reported that the suspect fled the area after the robbery, leaving the victim on the ground.

Officers arrived and located a 58-year-old male adult suffering from a knife wound to the chest. Officers immediately began life-saving measures and rendered aid to the victim. The victim was transported to a local trauma center.

Witnesses pointed the other responding officers toward the suspect across the street, who was later identified as 29-year-old Hakeem Zumory Thomas. Officers pursued Thomas as he fled the area through the hills between Fairview Avenue and Buchanan Road, at which point he stopped running.

Officers tried to de-escalate the situation by talking and pleading with Thomas to give up the knife and surrender. Despite their efforts, Thomas refused to drop the knife and demanded that officers shoot him. Officers continued talking to Thomas, to no avail, while he refused their orders in further efforts to de-escalate the situation and not harm Thomas. Officers used a less lethal projectile as a distraction device, and Thomas finally dropped the knife and surrendered without being injured.

According to Vinelink.com, Thomas was still in custody of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office as of Monday, Oct. 10, 2022.

We offer our deepest condolences to the victim and pray for his speedy recovery. Additionally, we would like to thank all the community members and first responders who assisted. Moreover, we would like to commend the officers who responded to this incident. Due to their training and de-escalation tactics, the situation ended peacefully and without further injuries.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

By Lieutenant John Fortner, Investigations Bureau, Antioch Police Department

On Saturday night, Oct. 8, 2022, at approximately 11:55 PM, Antioch police officers responded to the report of gunshots in the 2600 block of Belmont Lane off of Buchanan Road.

Numerous officers responded to the scene. When officers arrived, they located one male victim in the parking lot suffering from at least one gunshot wound. Evidence at the scene indicated the incident occurred outdoors in the parking lot between the condominiums at that location. Officers immediately began administering first aid and called for emergency fire department and AMR paramedics.

Unfortunately, the victim succumbed to his injuries at the scene, and he was pronounced deceased. The suspect(s) fled the scene and have not been contacted.

Antioch Police Department’s Investigations Bureau, consisting of Crime Scene Investigators and detectives with the Violent Crimes Unit, responded to the scene and took over the investigation.

Currently, detectives are interviewing witnesses and residents in the area and are working to identify any suspects or persons-of-interest. The investigation is still active, and evidence is being collected.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441, or Detective Duffy at (925) 779-6884. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

By BART Police Department

BART Police have arrested four suspects in connection with last month’s carjacking of an elderly couple in the Antioch BART station parking lot. BART PD officers on Thursday responded to a report of a fight on board an Antioch-bound train at the Walnut Creek Station. Upon arrival a BPD officer recognized members of the group involved in the fight as being the same suspects wanted for the September 28th carjacking. The group of four was detained without incident and includes two females and two males. One of the female suspects is an adult while the other three are juveniles.

Images captured by BART surveillance cameras positioned in the Antioch parking lot and station played a vital role in identifying the suspects. Those images were included in a Be On the Look Out (BOLO) message that was sent to BPD officers as well as partner law enforcement agencies. It’s unlikely these arrests could’ve happened without an observant BPD officer using the images in the BOLO to identify the suspects.

No report was provided by either the BART or Antioch Police Departments at the time of the carjacking.

BART has a network of more than 4,000 working surveillance cameras in stations, parking lots, elevators, and trains throughout the system. Images captured by these cameras have been instrumental in identifying suspects in multiple cases. It is very likely that anyone who commits a violent crime on BART will be seen by our cameras.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.