Pasco Shooting Update: Attorneys Want Officers Involved in Shooting to be Charged with Murder
The attorney of the widow of a Mexican migrant worker fatally shot by Pasco police wants the three officers involved in the case to be charged with murder.
Attorney George Trejo said the officers executed Antonio Zambrano-Montes and should be charged with second-degree murder at least, The Spokesman-Review reports according to The Associated Press.
The attorney sent a letter to Franklin County prosecutors calling for the cancellation of a coroner's inquest for the murder that was caught on video.
"I have insufficient information to charge anybody with any crimes at this point," said Franklin County Prosecutor Shawn Sant.
Pasco police officers Ryan Flanagan, Adam Wright and Adrian Alaniz shot Zambrano-Montes after he allegedly threw at least one rock at them. While the migrant worker was not carrying any dangerous weapons at the time of his death, a rock was found near his body.
Attorney Trejo said he believes a coroner's inquest would be considered special treatment for the three officers.
However, Sant said he will not make any charging decisions until after the inquest is complete in which no lawyers would be allowed to participate.
Franklin County Coroner Dan Blasdel said he will hold an inquest so that facts on the case could be open to the public, although Trejo says it is unnecessary.
Other reports indicate that the Pasco police officers fired at the 35-year-old Zambrano-Montes 17 times and struck the migrant worker nearly six times.
Videos taken by witnesses show that Zambrano-Montes was moving away from the officers before he was shot.
All three of the officers involved fired their gun and a Taser was used at least twice before shooting.
Kennewick Police Sergeant Ken Lattin said no photos appear to have been taken of any injuries suffered by the officers.
Since the shooting, nearly 68,000 people have protested against the police officers demanding justice for the Mexican orchard worker.
The Mexican government has also criticized the shooting as an unwarranted use of deadly force.
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