Antonio Zambrano-Montes Pasco Police Shooting Update: DOJ Set to Train Pasco Police After Death of Migrant Worker
The United States Justice Department will train police in Pasco, Washington, following the death of a Mexican farmworker, according Reuters.
"It is absolutely critical that the police department do all it can to strengthen police and community relations and rebuild the community's trust," said Ronald Davis, director of the federal Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
The DOJ announced Wednesday that it would provide a year-long training to the police in the Washington city in order to rebuild trust in the majority Latino community.
The training provides "important tools to strengthen and enhance trust and communication between the community and the police department," according to a statement from Michael Ormsby, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Pasco police killed unarmed Mexican farmworker Antonio Zambrano-Montes back in February. The shooting was caught on camera sparking outrage in the Latino community against police officers who are quick to use lethal force on minorities.
The DOJ says it plans to offer "technical assistance and training" to Pasco police including community policing and problem solving, procedural justice and fair and impartial policing.
"We welcome any assistance we can get and are grateful for the assistance of the DOJ," said Police Chief Bob Metzger.
Zambrano-Montes was shot at 17 times for allegedly throwing rocks at police officers. They said lethal force was the only way to calm the man down.
Bystanders posted a video of the incident to YouTube where 35-year-old Zambrano-Montes ran from the police before being shot, CNN reports. Police said they first used a Taser on him but it wasn't effective.
His family said he was not able to understand the officer's commands, which were shouted in English, because he mostly understood Spanish.
The training was requested immediately after the incident and has already begun. Metzger asked for assistance from the department because of its work with police in Ferguson, Detroit, Seattle, New Orleans and San Diego.
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