TULARE COUNTY, California – In a video recorded by the victim’s family, it is possible to hear the shots that took the life of Joel Villegas on April 16 in Tulare.
According to the police version, Villegas was carrying a knife when they allegedly threatened the uniformed officers. On the night of April 16, Tulare police officers killed Joel Villegas, 34, the father of four.
Today his family is asking for justice, as they allege an excessive use of force.
“Justice for my brother, his life was worth a lot and we cared too much about it,” says Armando Villegas, the victim’s brother.
The family is suing the city of Tulare and its Police Department for the death of Joel, who left four children ages 16, 6, 5 and 4 as orphans.
Armando comments that what the police did is wrong. “He took a brother, a son, they took a father from us.” And he adds that the Police Department “should change their ways and have better training, they have to understand that when there is danger it is okay, but when no one is, they should not use excessive force like they did with my brother.”
On behalf of the Villegas family, attorney Joshua Henderson supports the allegations. “It’s a wrongful death,” he says. “In the video you can see that the officers were not in danger, nor was anyone in the public, and the statement made by the police officers after the shooting is not correct,” adds the litigant.
“They have to charge the police because what they did is wrong, very wrong,” reiterated Armando, brother of the deceased at the hands of the agents.
