Antonio Aviles
The National Action Network, San Diego Chapter, is asking the authorities and San Diego Chief of Police Shelley Zimmerman to look deeper into the mass shooting that took place in an apartment complex in La Jolla in late April.
Monique Clark, a 35-year-old, lost her life in the rampage, and six other African-Americans were wounded by shooter Peter Raymond Selis, who was shot down by police.
Some of San Diego’s civil rights organizations believe the Chief of Police rushed to dismiss racial motivations.
“We are wondering how, in less than 20 or 24 hours, the authorities came to the result that there was no hate in this, how it was not a hate crime or a crime against people of color?” said Shane Harris, president of the San Diego Chapter of the National Action Network.
“It is clear that these were seven people of color, one Latino and African Americans, and that the shooter was a white person,” said Estela de los Rios, a spokesperson for the National Action Network.
On Sunday, April 30, San Diego Chief of Police Shelley Zimmerman stated that there was no indication that the crime was racially motivated. She also said the shooter was despondent after a recent break up, and called and spoke to his ex-girlfriend during the incident.
The biggest question for members of the National Action Network is how the decision was made in less than 24 hours. In the opinion of the San Diego Chapter president, the investigation should have taken longer.
“Twenty four hours are not enough time to determine whether people were intentionally targeted because of racial hate. We have questions as to why he chose a place where blacks and Latinos were gathered by a pool,” added Harris.
Over the first week of May, things have gone back to normal at the apartment complex. Once the police and investigators left, some people started bringing flowers to the place of the incident.
The family of Monique Clark has set up a gofundme page to help cover funeral costs and to support her family.