Unrest continues for fourth night, prompting business closures

By Miriam Raftery

Warning:  Graphic content in video

September 30, 2016 (El Cajon)—At a press conference in El Cajon this afternoon, authorities released two videos  in the fatal shooting of Alfred Olango, 38, by police.  The first is surveillance video from a taco shop; the second is cell phone video taken by a witness.

September 30, 2016 (El Cajon) --  El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells issued the following statement to clarify his remarks made in a  Sept. 28 press conference regarding the shooting of Alfred Olongo by an El Cajon Police officer. 

“I have been asked by several people since yesterday’s press conference if I intended to suggest by one of my responses that it is my opinion, after having watched the video, that the officer’s use of his firearm was not justified.  This was absolutely not my intent.

Aztecs read to local children at Spring Valley Public Library

Source: goaztecs.com press release

Photos courtesy goaztecs.com

September 30, 2016 (Spring Valley) - San Diego State women's basketball took part in the Women's Basketball Coaches' Association (WBCA) Day of Service on Thurs., Sept. 29 by reading to San Diego-area children at Spring Valley Public Library.

Source: County News Service

September 30, 2016 (Lemon Grove) -- County Vector Control crews plan to hand-spray a neighborhood in Lemon Grove early next week to continue to prevent invasive Aedes mosquitoes from getting the chance to potentially spread the Zika virus.

September 30,2016 (El Cajon)--A group of pastors from East County churches will meet at 10 a.m. at the Police Department Headquarters to pray for peace and unity over the City of El Cajon.  -- Pastors from 30-40 churches are expected to attend.

A diverse group of pastors are expected, including African-American pastors, Middle Eastern pastors, as well as churches representing many denominations.

East County News Service



September 29, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Two San Diego-area realtor trade groups, the Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR) with an office in El Cajon, and the North San Diego County Association of Realtors (NSDCAR), have decided to share a chief executive officer.

Did lack of mental healthcare “PERT” team response contribute to Olango’s death? 

Suicide Help Resources included below

By Jonathan Goetz

September 29, 2016 (El Cajon) – East San Diego County’s El Cajon was rocked Tuesday with an officer involved shooting of an unarmed black man, Alfred Okwera Olango. The city has remained in the spotlight all week.  Lost amid the blitz of media coverage has been other news, including a nudity ban targeting homeless people.

In chronological order, here are the highlights and lowlights:

Source: Grossmont Union High School District

September 29, 2016 (El Cajon) - The public is invited to attend a Building Re-dedication and Open House for Valhalla High School's Modernized Main Building and Theater on Tuesday, October 11. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin at 3:30 p.m., followed by tours of the facility from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.

By Miriam Raftery

Jonathan Goetz also contributed to this report.

Photo, left, by Rebecca Williamson, during vigil at shooting sight this evening

September 28,2016 (El Cajon) –Amid mounting tensions and protests this evening,  El Cajon Police released updates in yesterday’s fatal shooting of Alfred Okwera Olango.  

The updated information reveals the Olango, an El Cajon resident, drew a vape smoking device from his pocket and pointed it at officers. The release also indicates a Psychiatric Emergency Response Team was unavailable due to being dispatched to another call.

A 10 News investigation found  Olango had a criminal record including  a 2005 arrest in Colorado as a felon in possession of a firearm—a semi-automatic pistol in the vehicle he was driving. He also pled guilty to receiving stolen property and driving under the influence in 1999, as well as selling cocaine in 2001.

In this confrontation, however, Olango did not have a gun or any other weapon.  The Ugandan refugee who came to America  after death threats to his famliy was shot and killed after his sister called officers for help due to her brother's erratic actions.

Tonight, crowds clashed with police.  While organizers of a march and vigil sought to keep the peace, some protesters reportedly threw bottles at police and chased a counter-protester wearing a Trump hat after he shouted racial slurs.

By Rebecca  Jefferis-Williamson and Miriam Raftery

Photo, left,by Rebecca Jefferis-Williamson: Marchers at Mollison near Broadway

September 28, 2016 (El Cajon) – Parkway Plaza regional shopping center is shut down for tonight after protests spilled into the mall over yesterday’s fatal police shooting of Alfred  Olango, 38, an unarmed African-American man with mental health issues.  Marketing director Ken Gray told  ECM the mall shut down for the night on advice of police.

“ Where I work, a lot of people were crying and screaming,” Gage Miller told  East County Magazine shortly after police evacuated the Walmart store where he works and escorted everyone outside. He said around 3 p.m., “lots of people were marching in the mall and going into the movie theatre…Walmart had to put its gates down. Protesters were spraying water from water bottles all around.”

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: El Cajon Police

Photos (rest) by Robert Gehr (c)

September 28, 2016 (El Cajon)—A shooting of a mentally ill African-American man by El Cajon Police yesterday  has sparked anger among some community members, though police have released a photo suggesting the man assumed a “shooter’s stance” before he was shot and killed.

Following a press conference this morning by police, civil rights leaders spoke at a press conference calling for a federal investigation.  Marches were held downtown and a candlelight vigil is planned tonight at 6 p.m. the El Cajon Police Station forAlfred Olango, 38.

East County News Service



September 27, 2016 (El Cajon) – Children’s Primary Care Medical Group, with offices on Chase Avenue in El Cajon and Alvarado Road in San Diego, is participating with a team of employees, family members and friends at the 3rd annual Solana Beach Sunset 5k run-walk, a fundraiser for diabetes prevention, starting at 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 1, at Fletcher Cove Park 111 South Sierra Ave., Solana Beach. 

September 27, 2016 (San Diego's East County) - East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

Presidential race

• Six key moments of the first presidential debate between Trump and Clinton (NBC)
• The first Clinton-Trump debate, annotated (Washington Post)
• From Russia with Love (ABC)
• The 2016 election fact-checker (Washington Post)
• 75 retired senior diplomats sign letter opposing Trump for president (Washington Post)

General news

• ISIS suspected of mustard gas attack against U.S.and Iraqi troops (CNN)
• White Tulsa police officer charged with manslaughter in death of unarmed black man (Washington Post)
• Family releases video of Keith Lamont Scott’s shooting (CNN)
• Obama kept military out of the loop on Iran payments   (Jewish World Review)
• Feds Finalize Rule on a Native Hawaiian Government (Hawaii Public Radio)
• U.S. to pay 17 Indian tribes $492 million to settle long-standing disputes (Wash. Post)
• Dozens Of U.S., Canadian Tribes Unite Against Proposed Oil Pipelines (NPR)
• Wells Fargo's Unauthorized Accounts Likely Hurt Customers' Credit Scores (NPR)

WORLD

• Aleppo Under The Most Intense Air Bombardment Since Syrian War Began, U.N. Says(NPR)
• Colombia, Marxist rebels sign accord ending 52-year war  (Reuters)
• Two Palestinians and a Jordanian killed after attacking Israelis, officials say (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• After Aiding Injured Israelis, A Palestinian Is Targeted For Abuse (NPR)
• Christian writer who 'insulted Islam' murdered in Jordan (JPost)
• Suicide bombing in northwest Pakistan mosque leaves at least 23 people dead, many injured (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Street clashes and election protests in Congo kill more than 44, Human Rights Watch says (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Japan scrambles fighter jets as China gets too close (CS Monitor)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

Source: Lemon Grove Historical Society

September 26, 2016 (Lemon Grove) - Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Oct. 1 lecture in the Lemon Grove Library by Donna Vitale Lupinacci (an encore presentation about the rise of nursing during the U. S. Civil War) has been postponed to a later date, to be announced.

Aztecs’ Travis Nicklaw nets second game-winner of the year

Source: goaztecs.com press release

Photo: Casey Macias courtesy goaztecs.com

September 25, 2016 (San Diego) - Redshirt senior Travis Nicklaw drilled the golden goal in the fifth minute of the first overtime Sunday to lift the No. 11/11 San Diego State men’s soccer team to a thrilling 1-0 triumph over crosstown adversary San Diego at SDSU Sports Deck. With the win, the Aztecs recorded their sixth shutout of the year, improving to 5-1-2 overall, while the Toreros slip to 3-3-3 on the season.