Mexican Government 'Condemns Severely' the Shooting Death of Migrant Worker in Pasco, Washington
The Mexican government has condemned the shooting death of a migrant worker at the hands of Washington state police.
The shooting has increased tensions in the mostly Latino town and some fear a repeat of the situation in Ferguson, Missouri.
According to the EFE news agency, the Mexican government said it condemned the “disproportionate” use of force the Pasco Police Department used against Antonio Zambrano Montes, 35, an immigrant farm worker. The Mexican foreign affairs ministry said it has contacted the man’s family in Michoacan state, “whom they have offered legal advice and consular assistance.”
"The Government of Mexico condemns severely events in which deadly force is used disproportionately, especially when resulting in the loss of lives. These unfortunate events hurt the community and erode confidence in the authorities,” the foreign affairs ministry said in a statement.
The statement also said the Mexican Consulate in Seattle sent a message to Pierce County asking for an exhaustive investigation in to the shooting. The consulate also sent a protest letter to the chief of the Pasco Police Department and asked to be informed of the disciplinary action that could be taken against the officers involved.
The shooting happened on Tuesday Feb. 10 when police were called to a grocery store in Pasco, Washington, according to Reuters. Officers Ryan Flanagan, Adam Wright, and Adrian Alaniz arrived on the scene around 5 p.m. and found Zambrano Montes outside the store. He then started throwing rocks at police, said Pasco Police Chief Bob Metzger in a statement.
After trying to incapacitate him with a stun gun, when Zambrano Montes would not obey commands, the police shot him.
Reuters reports a video was later uploaded to YouTube depicting Zambrano Montes running away from police before he was shot. In one instance he turns as if to throw something when the officers opened fire.
The Seattle Times reports Franklin County coroner Dan Blasdel is considering convening a jury inquest into the matter, “in which a jury is presented evidence of the shooting and decides whether the officers were justified in their use of deadly force.”
“We don’t want another Ferguson here in Pasco,” Blasdel said, as tensions continue to rise in the city of 68,000 of which more than 50 percent are Latinos.
The officers involved fired 13 rounds when trying to incapacitate Zambrano Montes and one of the officers, Ryan Flanagan, had been named in a civil rights lawsuit in 2012 involving a Latina who was wrongfully arrested and charged.
His family said the Mexican immigrant had been living in the country for a decade and was a hard worker, according to the Tri-City Herald. They add that he was battling depression and did not speak English well.
“We just want justice,” said Erica Salazar, a family member. “It could have been avoided.”
In a press conference, Chief Metzger said the Tri-City Special Investigations Unit is handling the investigation, reports the New York Times.
Video of Zambrano Montes (Warning graphic content):
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