Family of unarmed Modesto man fatally shot by police joins BLM peaceful protest
The family of Trevor Seever, an unarmed Modesto man fatally shot by police last month, attended a protest outside the Modesto Police Department one day after burying their son.
The rally, organized by Turlock Black Lives Matter, drew around 80 participants Saturday morning who gave speeches, waved signs, wrote notes and later marched through downtown Modesto in a peaceful protest of the shooting.
“I’m so grateful that I finally have someone to stand up for us to fight for justice for Trevor,” said Darlene Ruiz, who attended the rally with her husband and two surviving children, as well as about a dozen other family members. “We never spoke out against the police until we saw the body cam. We have always trusted and believed in the Police Department. ... He was shot in cold blood for no reason, he had no weapon.”
Trevor Seever, 29, was shot outside the Church of the Brethren on Woodland Avenue just before noon Dec. 29 by police Officer Joseph Lamantia. According to the MPD, Seever’s sister had called to report her brother had bought a gun the night before and made vague threats about harming his family. Police said they also found threatening posts against law enforcement on his social media.
Lamantia found Seever outside the church and ran toward him, telling him to get on the ground before opening fire multiple times in the span of about 10 seconds. Seever died later that day in a hospital.
Police released body camera footage of the shooting on Jan. 5. Lamantia, a 12-year veteran of the force, has been in four officer-involved shootings in the past 10 years.
Jaimee Ellison and Eli Coleman, co-founders of the Turlock Chapter of Black Lives Matter, organized Saturday’s protest after watching the footage of the shooting. While the BLM Movement has largely focused on the deaths of Black men and women at the hands of the police, Coleman said all police brutality should be protested.
“To know something like this happened in my own hometown, my own backyard, is disgusting,” Coleman said. “I think it’s only right that we rally around everybody that is a victim of police brutality, Black or white, it’s very important that we show Modesto PD that this is not right. Officer Lamantia shouldn’t have had his badge and gun that day. He shouldn’t have had it for the last couple years.”
The rally included impromptu speeches by the organizers and members of Seever’s family, who decried the shooting and called for changes. The crowd also was invited to write notes and tape them to the doors of the Modesto Police Department, which was closed to the public Saturday.
Protesters stood in front of the Modesto Police Fallen Officer Memorial, which has a quote from former President George H.W. Bush on it that reads, “They valued human life so much that they were prepared to give theirs lives to protect it.” A small note left on the memorial afterward pointed to the quote and read, “Well that was a lie.”
Speakers called for Lamantia to be fired and arrested for the shooting. They also sought reforms, including a civilian review board that would have oversight over the police. The gentle weeping of members of his family could be heard during the event.
“He needs to be fired, and we need as a community to come together and speak about it and show how important it is that we stand together and we don’t let killer cops in our community,” said Modesto resident Syndnee Meeker, who joined the protest.
After a little over an hour of speakers and chants, protesters took to the streets and marched from the Police Department to the heart of downtown Modesto. The group made a quick loop from 10th to J and 11th streets before returning to the MPD. Police were not present during the rally, but two bicycle officers caught up with the marchers, telling them to get on the sidewalk before allowing them to proceed through the street.
The event ended without incident about two and a half hours later, with Seever’s family dispersing and some saying they were going to visit his grave afterward.
“I will fight forever for justice for Trevor,” said Ruiz.
This story was originally published January 9, 2021 at 6:22 PM.
