OXNARD DEPARTAMENTO DE POLICÍA

COMUNICADO DE PRENSA

DETALLES:

Durante la primera semana de este mes, medios de comunicación informaron de un incidente con un oficial de recursos escolares Departamento de Policía de Oxnard (“SRO”) la detención de una 14 year-old female Hueneme High School student on the school’s campus. The incident occurred the previous week, en septiembre 25, 2019. In the news stories, video footage from bystanders depicted the SRO and the female struggling during the arrest. The news stories also depict claims from the teenager that the officer used excessive force. This story has since spread onto social media.

“The bystander video footage is limited in its scope, depicts only a small portion of what actually happened. This can mislead the audience,” said Oxnard Assistant Police Chief Jason Benites. “Unfortunately, when partial information quickly spreads across television and social media, it can easily contribute to a damaging false narrative. The messages from last week’s incident at Hueneme High School are such a case.”

The Oxnard Police Department’s video from the officer’s body-worn camera depicts a more comprehensive situation that led to the encounter, includes the encounter in its entirety, and disputes the allegations.

What happened: Aproximadamente 3:20 PM on Wednesday, Septiembre 25, 2019, an Oxnard Police SRO was working at his assigned campus, Secundaria Hueneme. The SRO and a campus administrator were monitoring the school’s dismissal, and had seen a large group of students gathering on the campus. The SRO and the campus administrator saw two teenage female students engaged in a hostile verbal exchange. One of the females (the one that was ultimately arrested) was the primary aggressor.

The SRO requested that another school staff member take the aggressive student to the office, to discourage or prevent a fight. The administrator contacted the student, who refused to comply, and then turned away and walked off campus. After walking a short distance, the student reversed course and began to walk back.

Believing that the female was returning to start a confrontation, the SRO approached the female and said “Hi, come with me.” The female replied by saying “No no no no!” The SRO initiated a legal detention and placed her in a low-level compliance hold. He then began to escort her towards the school’s office. What followed was that the female became actively resistive, and grabbed the officer’s hand. The officer warned her, and her response included swearing and active physical resistance. The officer brought her to the ground. The teen then punched the officer several times, including his face, knocking off his sunglasses. The officer then placed her into handcuffs, as she was now under arrest.

The incident was also witnessed by several school staff members.

The teen was arrested for resisting / delaying a peace officer, as well as for misdemeanor battery on a peace officer. She was cited and released to her parents.

An Oxnard Police Department sergeant responded to the incident. This supervisor assessed the situation, including a review of the officer’s body worn-camera footage. The sergeant concluded that the officer’s actions were within policy. Since the news stories circulated, the department’s Professional Standards Division has reviewed this matter, and concurs that the officer’s actions were within policy.

Subjefe Jason Benites: “The officer had a right to contact and detain this student, who was causing a disturbance on campus. The officer requested that the student come with him, and she resisted verbally, then physically. The officer used proper arrest and control techniques throughout the encounter, and exercised restraint despite being punched several times, including in his face.”

Police Chief Scott Whitney said, “Our officers have a tough job. We work closely with the schools to maintain safe campuses. This officer was trying to prevent a fight or other violence on the campus. This incident was properly handled by the officer.”

FECHA / TIEMPO DE PREPARACIÓN: 10/4/2019 @ 1655 horas

OXNARD DEPARTAMENTO DE POLICÍA

COMUNICADO DE PRENSA

DETALLES:

En octubre 1er, 2019, en aproximadamente 12:30 p.m., Officers with the Oxnard Police Department were dispatched Shooter’s Paradise, 1910 Sunkist Círculo, in reference to a subject attempting to sell a firearm with an obliterated serial number. A la llegada, officers contacted Audwin Darrett, who was inside of the business. Darrett was in possession of a rifle at the time. A records check revealed that Darrett was a prohibited person based on a prior felony conviction and could not possess a firearm. en adición, officers believed that Darrett matched the description of a suspect from a shooting that occurred on September 30ª, 2019, en aproximadamente 8:30 P.M. Investigators from the Violent Crimes Unit were contacted and responded to assist.

In the shooting incident, the suspect entered One Stop Liquor, situado en 1061 West Wooley Road, and brandished a rifle at another male. The suspect followed the male through the store, verbally threatened him while holding the rifle, then exited. Un corto tiempo después, the suspect fired several shots at the male, with at least one round entering One Stop Liquor. The suspect and the male victim fled prior to the arrival of police.

Investigators continued to work the case and during the course of the investigation, it was determined that Darrett was responsible for the shooting that occurred at One Stop Liquor. En octubre 3, 2019, investigators contacted Darrett at the Ventura County Jail, where he was still in custody for illegally possessing the rifle. Investigators arrested Darrett for two counts of assault with a firearm and one count of shooting into an inhabited dwelling.

Because the investigation is still ongoing, a photo of Darrett will not be released at this time. Anyone with any knowledge of the shooting incident is encouraged to contact Detective Ricardo Vega at (805) 385-8291.

Unidad de Crímenes Violentos del Departamento de Policía de Oxnard se ha comprometido a reducir los crímenes de pandillas y la violencia armada en la ciudad de Oxnard a través de la aplicación estricta de las leyes específicamente la orientación conocida, pandilleros activos que residen en la ciudad. Si alguien tiene información con respecto a la actividad criminal en contacto con el Departamento de Policía de Oxnard a (805) 385-7600, o en línea a través de la página web del Departamento de Policía de Oxnard: www.oxnardpd.org, y haciendo clic en Informe de actividades sospechosas. Puede permanecer en el anonimato si decide hacerlo. También puede permanecer en el anonimato llamando a Crime Stoppers del Condado de Ventura en (800) 222-8477. También puede visitar este sitio: www.venturacountycrimestoppers.org a presentar una punta a través de texto o correo electrónico.

FECHA / TIEMPO DE PREPARACIÓN: 10/03/2019, 4:15 P.M.