Protestors Make Demands For Slain Teen's Family In Farmers Branch
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FARMERS BRANCH (CBSDFW.COM) - Loudly chanting "Jose Cruz," about 100 protestors converged on the city council meeting in Farmers Branch Tuesday evening; forcing it to end amid passionate cries for justice.
"I want justice. I want him to feel the pain we're feeling right now," said Jose Cruz's brother, Christian Enriquez.
Despite the ruckus, council members refused to meet with protestors, or even acknowledge them. Protestors demanded the city pay for Cruz's funeral expenses and not pay for former Farmers Branch police officer Ken Johnson's defense in the Jose Cruz case.
Johnson is accused of killing the unarmed teen while off-duty in March 2016. He was arrested on charges of murder and aggravated assault over the shooting. Cruz's family claimed that Johnson shot at innocent teenagers. Family representative Carlos Quintanilla released photographs showing the officer at Cruz's car when shots were fired. One picture appears to show Johnson with his gun drawn, several feet away from the vehicle. Another picture shows the hurt passenger on his knees after being pulled from the car. Quintanilla has called the attack a case of racial profiling. "The officer acted with the premeditated intent to kill these kids," he said.
What started out as a peaceful protest culminated into pushing and shoving as the large group tried to prevent Mayor Bob Phelps from getting into his car after they threatened to go to his house. He was led by police on each arm to another car and left.
Before the protest, Quintanilla posted on his Facebook page: "We have to send a message that if a cop kills a young member of our community, our community is not going to stay quiet. It has to be justified. The death of Jose Cruz was not justified."
About 30 police officers kept protestors from entering city hall again and the crowd dispersed peacefully into the night.
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