PALMDALE – Two days after he was shot and killed by sheriff’s deputies, Darrell Logan Jr. was remembered by more than 100 friends and family members at a candlelight vigil and press conference Saturday in front of his home.
Many wore t-shirts that had Logan’s picture on it; others wore t-shirts spray painted with the words “R.I.P. nephew,” “R.I.P. son” or “R.I.P. Darrell.” Several lit candles, embraced each other, and cried loudly as family members took turns on the microphone, giving their take on the events that transpired Thursday morning, which ended in the death of Logan.
“They’re coming into our homes killing us,” said close family friend Cristine Smith.
“This is no accident by the officers,” said Logan’s aunt, Paulette Gardner. “This is an execution.”
The Sheriff’s department has said little about the incident, citing the ongoing investigation. A statement from the Sheriff’s department Thursday said deputies responded to a call around 11:48 a.m. from an informant, who stated that gunfire was heard from the residence [Logan’s home]. When deputies responded to the scene, they verbally commanded the occupants to exit the garage, but the suspect refused to exit, the report states. When deputies entered the garage they were confronted by an armed suspect and a deputy-involved shooting occurred, according to the report. The Sheriff’s Department has not released the names of the officers involved in the shooting or identified Logan as the man who was shot.
Logan’s wife, Krystle Washington, was at the house during the incident and gave her side of the story to The AV Times Friday. Read it here.
Saturday, family members said the officers should have tried other methods of getting Logan out of the garage.
“They could have used any [other] kind of tactic, because I know my son could be talked down,” said Logan’s mother Arzenia Ratliff of Lancaster. “They have tear gas, all kinds of methods, instead of killing people. They do not want us up here.”
Gardner said she believed when officers got the call they pulled up the names of the residents in the home they were responding to and checked their records. She said she believed this factor contributed to officers shooting her nephew.
“When they look at the track record of someone who’s been incarcerated several times, they make a decision…” Gardner said. “I do believe that the officers came here with the intention to do just what they did.”
Family friend Stan Muhammad urged the crowd to use the incident as a means for change in the community.
“We have to use this as a catalyst to come together,” Muhammad said. “Let’s change the climate and let’s dedicate it to Brother Darrell and all those who have lost their lives to senseless violence.”
Merit Commission Chairman Darren Parker and The Community Action League founder V. Jesse Smith also spoke at the press conference.
“I think the worse injustice that we can endure is to have law enforcement take the life of an individual unnecessarily,” said Smith.
The vigil ended with a prayer led by Smith.
dupreece spencer says
I miss you my nephew, you will be in my heart forever.
My sis stay strong sis stay strong I love u and tell everyone
i love them also.peace, love, and unity.
Mont says
Things that make you say, Hmmmm? What was done differently by law enforcement in the Seal Beach shooting? Eight people were killed by a lone gunman in a beauty salon. This guy was armed with multiple automatic pistols and wearing body armor but yet the police manage to take him in alive. Oh, he must not have been on section 8.
A. Non says
Hmmmmm….What was different? The seal beach cowardly murderer was photographed by all kinds of media with his hands high up in the air when the cops found him. How can you possibly compare the two? One gave up and followed instructions….didn’t get shot. The other didn’t…..he got shot. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist.
A. Non says
If the cops were on a killing spree of some kind, how did the second black guy in the garage come out unharmed? Wouldn’t he be shot up and dead too? Perhaps he had his hands up and was following instructions? Makes you say, Hmmmmm
Mont says
Hey genius, I never implied that the cops went on a killing spree. My question was to the tactics that were used that day, but you made my point. The world was watching in the Seal Beach shooting. Secondly, as to what happened when the cops breached and cleared the garage. We don’t know what happened, so don’t assume Darrell didn’t follow their instructions once they entered the room.
A. Non says
Brilliant! So all cops turn rogue when the cameras aren’t there? Come on, you’re smarter than that. And don’t assume he did follow instructions either…the unscathed second male indicates otherwise. That, and unless the cop had some personal score to settle, it’s unlikely he started blasting away on a person who was following instructions, cameras or no cameras.
ant says
DARRELL WE LOVE U AN MISS U SO MUCH..GOD KNOWS THE TRUTH IT DOESNT MATTER WHT PEOPLE THNK OR SAY
TT says
MY PRAYERS ARE WITH THEE FAMILY IVE BEEN KNOWING THEM FOR YEARS..NEVER REALLY GOT THE CHANCE TO GET TO KNOW MR.LOGAN BECAUSE HE WAS HARDLY AROUND…BUT JUSTICE NEEDS TO B SERVED ITS REALLY UNFAIR ND WRONG THEY TOOK HIS LIFE CUZ THEY WEAR BLACK ND WHITE UNIFORMS WITH A BADGE….BUT THIS IS THE AV ND WE DO LIVE N A RACIST COMMUNITY…ND FOR ALL U DUMM IGNORANT PPL LEAVN COMMENTS I BET YALL ALL WHITE ND IF YALL WAS NFRNT OF THE FAMILY YALL WOULDNT DARE SPEAK THE WAY YALL DONE POSTED…R.I.P. LOGAN YU ARE N A BETTER PLACE GOD HAS CALLED U HOME HE GOT BETTER PLANS FOR YU…
Marianne McCourt says
I haven’t posted on this thread until now and I am white. How do you know everyone on here posting is “white” ? Did your computer magically tell you? To me, it looks like people of all walks of life, from all outlooks and all sides of the coin are posting on here. You obviously are a racist yourself who has an illegitimate beef with white people. Sorry, that’s your issue and you might look to get some professional help with that.
You wrote “ALL U DUMM IGNORANT PPL” to address the rest of us. If this isn’t a a display of stupidity and ignorance, I don’t what it? You should’ve paid more attention in school there, TT !
TT says
Im sure ur not black.wit a name like that….like I said the first time u must have.gotten.offended by wat I said because u wouldnt have replied so therefore if u.dnt have nothing nice.to.say.dont reply back to me lady r w.e u are thanks its very much appreciated….lmao u have no life do yu??? Go get one and mind yours cuz ull live longer if u do…..
ayana says
seems like alot of you need to get on that yellow brick road to see the wizard for a heart because you obviously dont have one. at a time like this no one wants too hear see or read your dumb [removed] comments how about just praying for the family at their time of lost they dont need your idiotic replys so keep your ugly opinions to yourself and have some respect what if it was your families?? you would not want to see these type of things none of you know the facts your going by ear play so shut the hell up already!! and just pray for the family
frank says
the sheiff murder darrell logan they when in the garage and closed the garage door behind them self and blew darrell logan head off its body which is a hate crime some dirty sheiff deputy and theat to kill his freind if he talk about what happen in the garage to any body so please help freind bring justice to those murdering cop
Miguel A. Rivera says
Everything is a ” hate crime” to people like you. Asking you to pull your own and take responsibility is a ” hate crime” .
ayana says
it was a hate crime! it should not have happened!! it was absolutely wrong!!!
Marianne McCourt says
You need to look up the definition of a hate crime, dear! A hate crime is when someone is targeted because of their race, religion, nationality or sexual orientation. What the sheriff did may have been in haste or may have been due to some other issue, but it was not a “hate crime”. How do you know the race of the officer who fired the shot? Or are you assuming it must have been a white person or an Asian or Hispanic? The fact of the matter here is that this is more complicated than you seem to be able to grasp.
ayana says
like i said it was a hate crime they judged a black man thats a race and a sex i know exactlly what it is i dont need you to tell me anything oh and yes the deupty was a white man you dont wanna go there with me im no stranger posting my opinion im a witness with facts the officers were wrong the garage was closed to shoot this man in the head twice!! not to mention they wont let the other young man who was there speak hmmm this crime sounds pretty hateful to me “hate” and “crime” so your an idiot to even come close to thinking they were right in any way the matter of the fact is it should not have happened its hateful!! and to me thats a hate crime
Marianne McCourt says
It doesn’t really sound like “ayana” knows what she is talking about.
HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION PRESIDENT: DEPUTY INVOLVED SHOOTING NOT A HATE CRIME
ANCASTER – At Monday’s Human Relations Commission Meeting, President Darren Parker said that any public perception that the recent deputy-involved shooting in Palmdale was a hate crime is incorrect.
“Clearly after you look at the facts, race was not the motivating factor in why the sheriff’s department was out there,” Parker said.
ayana says
well ms. mccourt i feel how i feel about the situation as well as you were entitled to our own opinions and were to different people with two dfferent ones i stand behind my beliefs a you do yours