cannabisnews.com: Search for Answers Follows Boy's Death Search for Answers Follows Boy's Death Posted by FoM on September 15, 2000 at 16:56:51 PT By Crystal Carreon, Bee Staff Writer Source: Modesto Bee How did this happen? That question haunted the family of 11-year-old Alberto Sepulveda on Thursday, a day after he was killed in his Modesto home during a federal narcotics sweep. It tormented a police force whose veteran SWAT team member fired the shotgun blast. And it troubled a relatively peaceful community where never before has a child been killed by a police officer. Police released no new information Thursday about what happened inside the small house at 2524 McAdoo Ave. early Wednesday. Federal agents had gone to the home to arrest the boy's father on drug charges. Police Chief Roy Wasden restated that the shot from officer David Hawn's shotgun was an accident, but he offered no estimate on when more information would be released. He explained that confidentiality was necessary to protect Hawn's rights. The four separate investigations, routinely conducted in officer-involved shootings, could take several weeks to complete, the chief said. Many members of the community want answers sooner than that. "I'm not going to wait three months for the investigations to be completed," said Modesto Mayor Carmen Sabatino. "I think the longer we wait, the more suspicious people will become. "But it only happened 24 hours ago. In view of our past history, it's important we don't make the mistakes we've made in the past and we need to guarantee a full investigation of what happened and an accurate report to the people in a timely fashion." The shooting devastated a police force recovering from its gun sale scandal. "The officers are very, very much saddened," Wasden said. "They want to reach out to the community and don't know the best way. It's a very difficult time for the entire organization. We want to help make this right." At the Sepulveda home in the Highway Village area, neighbors and reporters streamed across the front lawn. Ashen-faced family members sat around an altar of roses and candles on a porch table. A day before, seven SWAT team officers and drug agents raided the home to arrest Moises Sepulveda in connection with methamphetamine trafficking. Brother Offers Details: Alberto's 14-year-old brother, Moises Sepulveda Jr., briefly described the incident to reporters: Shortly after 6 a.m. Wednesday, authorities crashed through the front door and threw a smoke bomb across the living room floor. A black scorch mark was still visible on the wooden floor Thursday. Moises Jr. said Alberto was asleep in the bedroom they shared when agents stormed the house. Moises Jr. said he jumped down from the top bunk bed and ran into the narrow hallway, where he met his father as police were coming into the house. "My dad was cuffed and I was cuffed and one of them was stepping on my neck, pointing a gun down at me and told me not to move ... They handcuffed us all," Moises Jr. said. "They shot Alberto when he was waking up; he was getting out of bed." Late Wednesday night, Moises Jr. tore out a 4-foot patch of blood-stained carpet near the bottom bunk. "This is where he died," Moises Jr. said as he stepped over the gaping hole in the carpet. "They didn't want his mom to see it," said cousin Ramon Sepulveda Jr. On top of the stereo nearby is a framed picture of flying eagles, with Spanish meanings of the boys' names. Sonia Sepulveda gave them the picture three years ago and signed the bottom with: Con amor a mis hijos. (To my sons with love). Moises Jr. read the picture: "Alberto is a man without problems; he is quick to be gentle," he said, turning away from the photo, sobbing. "My brother was all those things." Eight-year-old Xitlalic, Alberto's sister, clutched a pink construction paper card from her classmates at Chrysler Elementary. Alberto completed sixth grade at Chrysler last year. "He used to walk me to and from school every day," she said softly. "He would always watch out for me. He was my best brother." The Officer: The shooting also devastated the family of David Hawn. To current and former Modesto SWAT team members, he's a respected tactician, a calming presence in dangerous situations. "We're not talking about a guy that doesn't know what he's doing or makes mistakes very often," said Lt. Dave Gianotti, who commanded the SWAT team for 15 years before stepping down earlier this year. "Hawn is one of the most squared-away tactical officers this department has ever seen." Hawn, whose wife, Shirley, is a hostage negotiator for police, has two children. The 49-year-old officer has served on the SWAT team nearly 19 of his 21 years on the force. He and teammates have won three state SWAT competitions. "In this job, there's a natural tendency for the voice to go up a couple octaves," said Sgt. Craig Mitchell, a former SWAT team member of Hawn's. "And pretty soon you're screaming into the radio because it gets so tense sometimes. But he's never like that. He stays calm and cool. That's always been his persona." Detective Jon Buehler, on the SWAT team since 1988, spoke with Hawn after the shooting. "I think he's doing better than most people because he's got some age and wisdom behind him," Buehler said. "But nothing can prepare somebody for something like this. For that reason, I'm sure he's having a rough time." Dr. Philip S. Trompetter, a police psychologist who counsels officers involved in critical incidents, met with Hawn and other SWAT team members after the shooting. The purpose was for the officers to talk about their feelings in a nonthreatening setting. Trompetter said officers who use deadly force often spend long hours second-guessing their actions, replaying the incident over in their minds. "SWAT teams are very well trained in taking into custody the bad people and protecting the victims," Trompetter said. "They're frequently in a warrior sort of mode, and they look very menacing. Underneath those black uniforms are fathers of children. "They see themselves as protectors. They don't see themselves as killers. When a SWAT team has an adverse outcome and anyone gets killed, and certainly when an innocent child is killed, you're going to see a lot of very moist-eyed tough guys." The Father: Moises Sepulveda is expected to be arraigned this morning on drug trafficking charges at the U.S. Eastern District Court in Fresno. He remained at the Stanislaus County jail late Thursday night, without bail. Friends described Sepulveda as a hard-working man with few vices. Antonio Gomez and his wife, Araceli Paz, co-owners of Neon Auto Sales, met Sepulveda about six months ago when he bought their used Suburban. He rented a building behind their business and opened Sepulveda's Auto Repair three months ago. Business was good, Gomez said. Some of Sepulveda's loyal customers from his previous employer, Los Amigos Tire Co., brought their business to him. "As soon as they knew it was Moises, they came here," Gomez said. "He was a hard-working guy ... and the family, they were honest people." The children helped out at their father's shop during the summer, he said. They cleaned the property and watered lawns. Sepulveda's sons also helped Gomez put parts on vehicles. Gomez remembered seeing Alberto helping his father work on cars. "I don't know what the dad did outside of work, or what police say he did, but that kid was innocent," Gomez said. Community The community was divided in its views of Wednesday's shooting, but everyone wanted answers. "My concern for this thing is just full, clear disclosure on what happened," said Martin Ayala, a 60-year-old Modesto resident. "If it was a true accident, we can understand that. But if it's called an accident to cover something else up, then that I have a lot of problems with." Kal Kirkle, a 45-year-old Modesto resident, questioned the timing of the raid. "Why did they schedule it at a time when there would be children getting ready for school?" Kirkle said. "Why not pre-dawn or after school had started? Any time you do a drug raid and you know deadly force could be used, why wouldn't you minimize the risk to innocent bystanders? If they'd done that, that little boy would be alive today. "My sympathy goes to the police officer. He's got to be hurting the worst for all this. Ultimately, it's the responsibility of the father who was knowingly breaking the law. He put his own children at risk by his lifestyle." Wade Whitson, a 37-year-old roofer from Stevinson, believes the shooting is just the latest example of overzealous police. "It was no accident," he said. "They went in there to get their man at any cost. It's a mini- Waco. This is the reason people should be allowed to have guns, to be able to protect their homes." Steve Hernandez, a 35-year- old agriculture laborer from Westley, tried to talk about the shooting with his 9-year-old daughter. "She kept asking me how it happened. She asked me why an 11-year-old would get killed, especially by a cop. I said, 'I don't know.'" Bee staff writer Ty Phillips can be reached at 578-2331 or tphillips modbee.comPublished: Friday, September 15, 2000Source: Modesto Bee (CA) Author: Crystal Carreon Copyright: 2000 The Modesto Bee Contact: letters modbee.com Website: http://www.modbee.com/ Feedback: http://www.modbee.com/help/letters.html Related Article & Web Site:Drug War Deaths: Federal Government Responsiblehttp://apll.freeyellow.com/drug_war_list.htmlSWAT Officer Kills Boy, 11 http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7033.shtml END SNIP --> Snipped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #9 posted by Jeaneous on September 16, 2000 at 16:45:04 PT: My Letter first of all thanks for the kick in the ass to write to these jerks...expression is becoming difficult with this subject and seeing all of your letters helped me to speak out to them... No return mail thoughI have read and listened to as much of the news as I can regarding the shooting of this 11 year old boy. It is sickening that the governmentsWar on Drugs is doing just the opposite of what they claim... to savechildrens lives.If your team had been studying this situation for 2 years, then they hadto be aware that a family lived there. Kids and all and for you toallow a SWAT team to invade their home to serve a warrant is plainstupid. I find it very hard to believe that a man trained in specialforces for over 18 years could accidently discharge his weapon.I consider this murder of that child. He did nothing to have his homeinvaded in that manner, yet his life is gone due to it.There is nothing you or your officers can do to errase this error. Youneed to rethink your tatics. This is the result of a useless War onDrugs. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by Rainbow on September 16, 2000 at 11:54:22 PT Modbee.com The paper there covers the story ever so non-chalantly. The police had the father talking about delivering stereos and eggs and concluded he was distributing meth. A fed agent is responsible for the raid.Go to the papers website and see the story about the father being released.So show their concern the police said they thought he was getting out to make plans for the burial of his son. Like it really is not a good reason. Also he is not a flight risk.Wow there is something really not right about all this. There is no mention of drugs found or not found in the house. No mention of a big quantity of money found in the house or his garage.It sounds like a blunder quite possibly.If it is I am even more sickened.CheersRainbow [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Frank on September 16, 2000 at 08:24:00 PT Police are Proud of killing and Enjoy it. The police murder people everyday in America. They enjoy the dictum, “Kill them to save them” mentality. The police and no one else killed this young person. It’s always “just an accident”. The Police are totally out of control. The policeman who killed this boy will be cleared by “Internal Affairs”i.e.: a white wash of the events and the father most likely prosecuted for his son’s death. I have heard the police make comments like, “The Just-Us system” and laugh about it. If you want to find the center of criminal activity in your community just visit the police station. The War on Drugs must be stopped to protect our families and our communities. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by observer on September 16, 2000 at 07:38:27 PT Drug Warrior Search, Nazi Search Compared "It was no accident," he said. "They went in there to get their man at any cost. It's a mini- Waco." . . . .She asked me why an 11-year-old would get killed, especially by a cop. I said, 'I don't know.'" When drug war police inform a judge of an anonymous accusation against a citizen, the judge thereby has permission to issue a warrant for police to search the citizen's residence. These searches are indistinguishable from Nazi raids, involving physical and verbal abuse of house occupants while accompanied by massive destruction of personal property. Someone targeted in a raid recalled, "One thing I've noticed about the police is that they get very hyper at times like these. Some of them were shaking like a leaf, they were so excited."65 A witness to one raid reported that after bursting through a front door, one officer used an axe to demolish the door from inside. In the same raid, after the witness saw a suspect knocked unconscious, one officer continued to strike the unconscious man in the head.66 Eighty members of a Los Angeles drug squad used sledgehammers to search two duplex units for drugs. After demolishing the units, officers found only a small quantity. They left behind a spray-painted sign, "LAPD RULES."67 Normally such conduct becomes awkward only when drug squads hit the wrong person or wrong address. A couple at a root beer drive-in was terrorized by drug officers who erroneously thought the couple might have received illicit drugs. A man grabbed me with both hands around the neck... and started to squeeze. Another grabbed a handful of my hair and yanked out a handful of it.... I think I swore at them, and the fellow who had been choking me said, 'Watch it, buddy, or it will get tougher. You haven't seen anything yet.'" Afterwards a police spokesperson commented, "Well, we just can't be right all the time."68 In one "search" of a wrong address, "doors were ripped off cabinets, televisions were overturned and an air-conditioning unit was uprooted.... According to the couple, police smashed the toilet into small pieces, pulled drawers out of the bedroom dresser, pulled objects off shelves and dumped the contents of boxes and containers. The house was in chaos Friday. Powdered detergent, beans and artificial bacon bits had been dumped on the kitchen floor. Dishes, pots and pans had been strewn about."69 Compare to a Nazi search: "Gestapo men turned the whole place upside down. They pulled out drawers and tore the beds apart. They even emptied the salt container onto the table and poked through the ashes in the stove, searching for something they could use to incriminate my father." Another Gestapo search: "They even sifted through the salt box – it looked like Sodom and Gomorrah when they got done."70 A child's memory of a Nazi visit in 1938: "Men were standing there with axes in their hands, all dressed in black. They ran around axing all our furniture and throwing things out the window. They smashed the closet door and broke all my toys."71 A child's memory of an American police visit in 1990: "I saw people standing in the hall and others running into the kitchen and upstairs. I didn't know what was going on. Next thing I knew, I was at the police station getting yelled at all the time. They kept asking me questions. I kept telling them I didn't know.... After returning home I found most of my toys and things were broken or missing. They haven't been replaced because Mom and Dad can't afford it and the cops say they didn't do it."72 Police have been known to urinate on property they leave behind.73(Richard L Miller, Drug Warriors and their Prey, 1996, pgs.47-48)http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0275950425/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by EdC on September 16, 2000 at 07:11:56 PT: Modesto murder I wonder why they didn't just send a cop to Sepulveda's Auto Repair shop to arrest him. This drug war is ridiculous. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by i_rule_ on September 15, 2000 at 23:56:17 PT Government sponsored terrorism Government sponsored terrorism backfired on them. Sad situation for the family, sad proof that the WoD is not a war on drugs, but on people. Innocent people. They knew for two years that children were in that house. I'm sure the officer feels remorseful, but it does not change the fact that prohibition and ego-maniacal power tactics do not stop drug use or drug supply. I pray these people find a good lawyer and sue the pants of the Modesto Police Dept. They are worried about the message sent to children about wanting to legalize marijuana. What about the message that the DEA can break into your home with military firepower, and possibly kill you, over something that ending prohibition could stop? Ending prohibition would save lives. Too late for at least one young life, though. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Dr. Ganj on September 15, 2000 at 23:44:42 PT See How They Shift The Blame! The father is INNOCENT until proven guilty in a court of law! See how they try and turn murder around, and justify their terrible mistake? An 11 year old boy is dead because the father's rights were completely ignored, which is so common in this war on some drugs. Oh how I wish people would fight back against terrorism like this. We can't even be safe in our own homes! I don't care if he had 100 pounds of amphetamines, that doesn't mean the police can break his door down, ignite a smokebomb, and in the chaos, kill his little boy.Dan-I too e-mailed the Modesto police, and received a similar and unsatisfactory response, but that's no surprise-being it came from the fuzz. Thanks for your input, as always.Dr. Ganj http://www.aclu.org [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Frank S. World on September 15, 2000 at 18:23:02 PT experienced terrorist "The 49-year-old officer has served on the SWAT team nearly 19 of his 21 years on the force. He and teammates have won three state SWAT competitions."Just think of the terror he has inflicted in his career, storming into people's houses, putting guns to their head, degrading and humiliating his victims.It's surprising this is the first time he's killed a child, with the recklessness this kind of assault is usually carried out.When you play with fire, someone is gonna get burned! [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Dan B on September 15, 2000 at 17:16:17 PT: The Father is NOT Responsible "My sympathy goes to the police officer. He's got to be hurting the worst for all this. Ultimately, it's the responsibility of the father who was knowingly breaking the law. He put his own children at risk by his lifestyle." Bulls#!t. I don't care what the father was doing, he did nothing to provoke the shooting death of his child. This kind of callous attitude is the epitome of brainwashed idiots who think that the WoSD is a noble effort that can actually succeed and, worse, that everyone who uses drugs and everyone with whom they are associated deserves death. It sickens me that some sorry individual would utter such hatred toward a fellow human being. The fault lies with this disgusting system in which police officers are given medals for killing people who might have, at one time, had something to do with drugs. And the fault lies with the idiot who ordered a raid at a time when he or she knew children would be present--and decided that the best way to handle the raid was to start by throwing a smoke bomb so that the officers involved could not see who or what they were shooting at (I believe that this smoke bomb was the cause of the "accident." No other explanation is possible; that officer did not discharge his weapon by accident).Stop this senseless killing!By the way, I received an e-mail from the Modesto Police Department thanking me for my e-mail letter (posted at Cannabis News undre another article). How's that for strange?Dan B [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: