Victim says driver helped him “get away safely”

By Antioch Police Department

Another great job by APD officers with help from BART PD and as always, great witnesses that help us in these cases that we are able to tell you about!

Tuesday night, Oct. 5, 2021, around 6:15 pm, our dispatch received a call from employees at Big Lots on Somersville Road after a man ran in asking them to call the police as he’d just been robbed at gun point on a bus. Our officers arrived and learned the man had been on the bus and a subject possibly armed with a handgun took his phone. He was able to flee from the bus and believed the bus driver helped him get away safely by closing the door keeping the armed suspect from following him. Initially, we weren’t able to confirm the story or that anyone on the bus witnessed this.

Just over an hour later, this same bus driver then called police to report that the subject from the earlier robbery was still on the bus and was possibly armed. She was now at the BART station, hiding, and unsure if he was on the bus or in the BART station. Several officers from APD and BART responded and located a subject matching the description both the bus driver and earlier robbery victim had given and were able to safely identify him.

As you can see from the pictures, this person was found in possession of a very real looking BB gun. Further investigation also located the victim’s stolen phone which was returned to him.

This was yet another example how great teamwork between both agencies involved, and our witnesses led to a peaceful and successful conclusion to this case. These two people kept calm under very scary and stressful circumstances and were able to help us make this arrest. While it is unfortunate the incident happened, we are grateful no one was injured and happier still to have a dangerous criminal off the street!

Causes John Muir Outpatient Center to be evacuated

By Lieutenant Joe Donleavy #6011 Field Services

On Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at approximately 11:38 AM, Antioch Police Department Officers were advised that a vehicle taken during an armed carjacking in Oakland was traveling eastbound on Hwy 4 near Somersville Road in Antioch. Officers quickly located the vehicle and attempted to conduct an enforcement stop on it. The vehicle fled at a high rate of speed, leading officers on a pursuit eastbound on Hwy 4. During the pursuit, the stolen vehicle sideswiped an uninvolved vehicle near Laurel Road. The pursuit ultimately ended in Brentwood, when the suspect fled on foot into John Muir Outpatient Center at 2400 Balfour Road.

The center  was evacuated while officers from Antioch PD, Brentwood PD and the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office conducted a search for the suspect. He was located hiding in a bathroom and was taken into custody without incident. The suspect was identified as a 17-year-old male. He was eventually turned over to the Oakland Police Department.

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.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Apologies for the delay in publishing this. The Herald was traveling over the past week and somehow missed this press release from APD.

 

By Antioch Police Department

Monday morning, we got a very disturbing call of a male beating a puppy behind Target on Lone Tree Way. Our concerned caller was not only witnessing the incident, but also filmed it while calling us.

When officers arrived, we were able to locate the person responsible and place him under arrest for animal abuse based on the information we were given by our witness. We are thankful to have citizens call us and work as part of our team to solve situations like this. The puppy was taken from this person and taken for medical treatment.

In a Monday afternoon update on the APD Facebook page, it included a photo of the puppy in recovery (see above), and a comment that reads, “She has a broken pinky and will be OK.”

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

 

Marine, 20 years with APD; will become interim chief on Sunday, Oct. 10, Brooks is still chief through Saturday

By Antioch Police Department

Meet your Beat! We would like to take a moment to introduce you to Acting Police Chief Tony Morefield. Tony was born and raised in Stockton, California; he eventually moved to the Lodi area, where he attended High School in the early 90’s.

Out of high school, Tony enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, where he served honorably for four years. In 1996, Tony married the love of his life, DeAnna. Tony and DeAnna have two children together, Luke and Faith. They’re active in their church along with several non-profit organizations in their community and beyond.

Tony attended San Joaquin Delta Community College, earning an Associates Degree in 2000 before being hired by the Antioch Police Department and attending the Criminal Justice Training Center at Los Medanos College. Tony was sworn in as an Antioch Police Officer in May of 2001, where he has worked ever since.

As an officer, Tony worked a variety of assignments including Patrol, Field Training Officer, and Investigations. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2007 and went back to Patrol for a time before returning to the Investigations Bureau as the Special Operations Unit (SOU) Supervisor. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice Management from Union Institute and University in 2014. Later that year, Tony promoted to Lieutenant and worked as a Patrol Watch Commander and then, Investigations Lieutenant. In 2017, Tony promoted to the rank of Captain, overseeing the Support Services Division and later the Field Services Division. Tony has been a member of the APD SWAT team since 2002 moving through the ranks as an Operator, Team Leader, Tactical Commander, and Commander.

A fun fact about Tony is that on his first day of being the Acting Chief, his daughter, Faith, sent him with a note saying not to mess anything up. Tony is looking forward to the challenges ahead and to continuing to serve the great people of Antioch in his new assignment.

Morefield will become Interim Chief beginning this Sunday, Oct. 10, as Chief Tammany Brooks is still in his position through Saturday, which is final official day.

 

Announces on Facebook, claims “negative and retaliatory behaviors from APD.” No details from police, yet. Expected soon.

By Allen Payton

Under pressure from her fellow council members who voted to appoint her as chair of their Police Oversight Standing Committee, Antioch District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker announced her resignation from the position. It was in response to the police incident at her home Friday night/early Saturday morning following noise complaints from neighbors that included loud music, dirt bikes in the street and gunshots. (See related article)

In a post on her official Facebook page on Tuesday afternoon, the councilwoman agreed to step down, but not resign from the committee completely, as District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock is calling for, nor from the council as District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica and Economic Development Commission Chair Tim McCall are calling for.

Torres-Walker wrote: “After much thought and reflection, I have decided to step down as Chair of the Antioch Police Oversight Committee. I feel this decision is best so that I can continue to provide leadership in spaces where I’m most impactful, advocating for reform while continuing to be a voice for the most vulnerable of our society. In addition, this is necessary for the well-being and safety of my family.

Unfortunately, my work on the committee has become adversarial with the APD, resulting in negative and retaliatory behaviors from APD. My response to these behaviors has been one of self-protection in my personal life, which I understand may be viewed as uncivil. These interactions stem from deeper unspoken issues and erode the public’s trust, such as the most recent actions by former police chief Tammany Brooks. Mr. Brooks received an impartial independent investigation report, and he took the liberty to modify that report. It’s this type of abuse of authority that must be called out which and fans the flames of tension in our community. The work of the Oversight Committee is far too important to the future of Antioch, those who seek justice, and true community policing. I do not, in any way, want my presence as chair to create the perception that the work of the committee is not being led in an objective manner.

Throughout my life, I have dedicated myself to serving the community and ensuring that marginalized communities are not exploited by systems that have been built precisely with that in mind. As a first-time elected official, I recognize that I have made errors in my delivery and that my transition to the decorum and structure of the seat I hold has not been conventional. I know I have made mistakes.

I pledge to continue growing and learning and to never lose the passion I have for my community.

Thank you, Antioch.”

Police and City Response

To date, the Antioch Police Department has not issued a statement or press release about the incident. Questions were sent to Acting Chief Tony Morefield and City Attorney Thomas L. Smith, including when will a press release be issued about this very serious incident? Also, how soon can the police body and dash cam videos be released? I know it’s new technology for our city, but how quickly can that happen?

In addition, a Public Records Act request for the body and dash cam videos of the incident was made on Monday.

Captain Trevor Schnitzius responded, “This is an open and ongoing criminal investigation. We do not have additional information to release at this time. With respect to your PRA, that is being evaluated for any items that may be available for release pursuant PRA. You should receive correspondence regarding your PRA request in accordance with established timelines as outlined in PRA legislation.”

The city has 10 days to release the videos and up to an additional 14 days, if deemed necessary. Ogorchock has asked that the “footage be released as soon as possible”.

In addition, City Manager Ron Bernal responded that he would discuss the matter with the city’s public information officer, Rolando Bonilla, by their 4:00 p.m. meeting, Wednesday afternoon.

Torres-Walker Offers Additional Comment

In a Thursday morning email Torres-Walker offered an additional comment about her resignation, writing, “I had decided to step down as chair long before my colleagues made the request given what I know regarding Chief Brooks interference in the first investigation.”

Second incident between Torres-Walker and police in less than a year

“This is an embarrassment to the city, again. Enough is enough.” – Councilman Barbanica

By Allen Payton

According to reports, police were dispatched to District 1 Antioch Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker’s home shortly after midnight Saturday night, following calls to APD of noise complaints including dirt bikes riding in the street, loud music and gunshots. When officers arrived multiple shell casings were found in front of her home, she emerged from the house, appeared intoxicated, confronted and berated the officers, and interfered in their investigation, including taking the papers of a woman to whom they were speaking to at the scene, from one of the officer’s hand.

In response, Mayor Lamar Thorpe and Mayor Pro Tem Monica Wilson are calling for her resignation as chair of the Antioch Police Oversight Standing Committee, while District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica and Antioch Economic Development Commission Chair Tim McCall are calling for Torres-Walker to resign from the council. District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock is taking it further than Thorpe and Wilson, but not as far as Barbanica and McCall, by calling for Torres-Walker’s complete removal from all council appointed committees. She has also asked that the police body cam video “footage be released as soon as possible.”

Thorpe issued the following statement, posted on his official Facebook page, Monday afternoon:

“I have been briefed about a recent incident over the weekend involving the Antioch Police Department and Councilmember Torres-Walker. As the mayor of the city of Antioch, I am requesting that Councilmember Torres-Walker immediately step down from her role as the chair of the Antioch Police Oversight Committee.

As elected officials, we do not have to always agree on issues, but we must always agree on the fact that we must set an example for the rest of the city and treat our public employees with respect and dignity for their contributions to our community.”

In a post on her official Facebook page, Monday night, Wilson simply wrote, “Given recent events, it is in the best interest of our city that Councilwoman Torres-Walker step aside in her role as Chair of the Police Oversight Committee.”

Barbanica posted on his official Facebook page more extensive remarks on Monday night.

“This afternoon, I started receiving calls about this weekend’s incident with Council Member Torres-Walker. At 12:46 I began to reach out to Council Member Torres-Walker and asked her to meet in person. This was so I could ask her to immediately resign from the Antioch City Council. I did want her to hear it directly from me. She told me that she could meet me Wednesday, but I requested that it happen today, even if by phone. She told me that she would call and I didn’t hear from her, later stating that we could possibly meet after 5 PM. At 4:38 PM Council Member Torres-Walker did not respond to my request to again meet in person.

I requested to meet with Chief Morefield. He confirmed that there was an active investigation, but details were limited because the PD is investigating this as a shooting. I did confirm that multiple body cameras were active as officers were on scene.

I spoke with the press at 4:53 PM and told them that I am calling for her immediate resignation from the City Council. I also am calling for the APD to release the body cam footage as soon as possible. Total transparency was the reason many of us supported these cameras. We do not need the city dragged through another year of this.”

When reached later for additional comment, the councilman said, “this is an embarrassment to the city, again. Enough is enough. We’re coming up on a year of her previous incident.” Barbanica was referring to the incident, last December, between Antioch police officers, Torres-Walker and her two sons who were illegally riding off road vehicles on city streets. (See related articles here, here, here, here and here)

“This is not conduct becoming of a city council member. It is my belief she should not put the city through this, again. She should do the right thing and resign her position,” he reiterated.

McCall wrote Monday evening, “As chairman of the Antioch Economic Development Commission, I am calling for the resignation of City Council Member Torres-Walker.  Her multiple displays of poor judgement in the City of Antioch is negatively affecting the City’s ability to attract and retain businesses which supply jobs and goods to our residents and community. In addition, I am calling on Mayor Thorpe to remove Torres-Walker from the police oversight committee.”

10/05/21 UPDATE: When reached for comment Tuesday morning, District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock shared a statement she issued on Monday calling for Torres-Walker to step down completely from the Police Oversight Standing Committee, as well as all council-appointed committees.

“Due to recent events over the weekend at Councilmember Torres-Walker’s home, I believe it is in the best interest of the city that she immediately, step down from the Police Oversight Standing Committee and all council-appointed committees she has been appointed to. I would also ask that she be censured at this time until the on-going investigation is completed.

We as council have to hold ourselves to a higher standard and not degrade or be verbally abusive to our police officers. No city employee should be treated in such a manner.

This incident should not overshadow the good work by our Antioch Police Department, nor the progress being made throughout the City of Antioch.”

In addition, in a post on her official Facebook page on Tuesday, Ogorchock wrote, “For those of you who are asking the City Council to remove Councilmember Torres-Walker as a Councilmember, we cannot do that. She is an elected official, District 1 voted her into office, we do not have the power to remove her. We as council can have her released from the committees/commissions she’s part of and this should be on council’s upcoming agenda.

We all want to see the video footage from the body cams, but this is part of the APD’s investigation. I have asked that that footage be released as soon as possible.”

Efforts to reach Torres-Walker for comment, via text and email Monday evening, were unsuccessful prior to publication time, and no comment has been posted on either her official or personal Facebook pages about the incident.

A call was made to the APD Media line for more information Monday afternoon, and an email was sent to both Acting Chief Morefield and City Attorney Smith requesting more details, as well as a public records act request for copies of the police body and dash cam footage of the incident, after work hours.

In a Wednesday email, Captain Trevor Schnitzius responded, “This is an open and ongoing criminal investigation.  We do not have additional information to release at this time.  With respect to your PRA, that is being evaluated for any items that may be available for release pursuant PRA.  You should receive correspondence regarding your PRA request in accordance with established timelines as outlined in PRA legislation.”

10/12/21 UPDATE: In an email received on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, Police Records Supervisor Lynn Dansie wrote, “The Antioch Police Department is in receipt of your recent Public Records Act request for body camera footage and dash camera footage of a recent incident that resulted in case #21-8418, involving a local Councilwoman.  Because this is an active investigation and still considered to be an open case, the records that may be responsive to your request are being denied for release under GC 6254(f), GC 6254(k) and GC 6255(a), at this time.”

Incident Details

In addition, Dansie wrote, “A press release is not planned to be released.  As described in GC 6254(f)(2), the following details regarding the call, are available.  Officers responded to the 500 block of Gary Ave on October 3, 2021 at 0027 hours, for a report of a loud party and shots heard, in the area.  There were no victims, no injuries, and no property loss determined at the time of officers’ arrival.  As mentioned, this is an open and continuing investigation at this time.”

Of December incident with her sons and her; no details offered on the recent evidence or any impropriety in first investigation; “I have reviewed the information in question and I’m in full support of this” – Councilman Barbanica, calls for full refund from first investigation

By Allen Payton

The City of Antioch announced that a second independent attorney will be hired to investigate the complaint by District 1 Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker against two Antioch Police officers for the incident involving her two sons riding dirt bikes illegally on city streets, due to “recent evidence” and to avoid “impropriety”. (See related articles here, here and here)

The first investigation conducted by attorney and company partner, Vida Thomas of the law firm Oppenheimer Investigations Group at a cost of almost $45,000 to the city, resulted in all of Torres-Walker’s claims in her complaint to be unfounded or not sustained. (See related articles here and here)

The councilwoman was not part of the decision for a second investigation, according to the city’s Public Information Officer, Rolando Bonilla.

In a press release issued Friday evening, he wrote, “Due to recent evidence brought to the City’s attention concerning an ongoing administrative investigation of a complaint brought by Tamisha Torres-Walker, and for the purpose of ensuring the City’s investigation into this matter is independent and free of even the appearance of impropriety, the City has decided to retain an alternative independent counsel to conduct further review of this matter.  In the interest of fairness to all involved parties, the City appreciates the patience of the parties and the public as the investigative process continues.  Due to the sensitive nature of the investigation and the privacy rights of those involved, the City cannot comment or provide additional information relating to this matter.  The City is taking these necessary steps to ensure that this matter is properly handled through a truly independent and thorough review of the circumstances.”

Asked “who will be the one to decide which outside investigator will be hired? The councilwoman?” Bonilla responded, “Councilmember Torres- Walker was not in the room when decision made, and she learned of decision the same way you did today.”

When asked what is the “recent evidence, was the investigator from Oppenheimer compromised, was there a conflict of interest between her or the company and either Chief Brooks or members of the APD, and what was the “impropriety” referred to in the press release, Bonilla did not respond.

Torres-Walker was asked, “do you have any comment you would like to add to this that you want the public to know? When were you informed of this?” and “were you part of the decision to hire a separate independent counsel to investigate your complaint?”

In addition, questions were sent to former Police Chief Tammany Brooks, whose last day was Thursday, Sept. 23, asking for comment and, “have you seen this press release and are you aware of the recent evidence and the accusation of impropriety with the outside investigation of Councilwoman Torres-Walker’s complaint?”

Acting Chief Tony Morefield was asked the same questions, Saturday morning.

The councilwoman, two police chiefs and Bonilla did not respond before publication time.

UPDATE: District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica weighed in on the matter, Saturday afternoon.

“This is a personnel matter so, there are a lot of things I can’t comment on. But what I can say is I have reviewed the information in question and I’m in full support of this. I will tell you Councilwoman Torres-Walker had absolutely nothing to do with. I’ve dealt with several outside investigations during my time as a police administrator, and I’ve sent a message to city staff asking them to demand all of our money refunded from the previous investigation.”

“I do not in any way support her video rant, the way she spoke against the police department shown in her video. I’m not excusing anything she did it. I feel it was not becoming of a council member,” he added. “But I believe in due process, and this is the course of action for anyone.”

Please check back later for any updates to this report.

By Lieutenant D. Bittner #3252, Community Policing Bureau, Antioch Police Department

On Tuesday, Sept. 28, 21 at approximately 5:00 am, the APD SWAT Team assisted the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in the service of two search and arrest warrants. The first search/arrest warrant was served in the 300 block of West 20th Street for Juan Manriquez (20 years old) and the second location was at the Twin Creeks Apartments, 1111 James Donlon Boulevard for Anthony Smith (28 years old) at 6:15 am.

Both of these subjects were wanted on a variety of firearm related charges. Investigators located illegal assault rifle parts, conversion kits and manufacturing tools at the West 20th Street house. Investigators located an illegal handgun with a fully automatic switch and ammunition at the James Donlon apartment. Both subjects were arrested without incident.

According not localcrimenews.com, Manriquez was also arrested by Antioch Police on July 18, 2020 for being an addict in possession of a firearm, and carrying “a loaded firearm while in a class prohibiting possession.”

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.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.