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The family of Sean Smith-Arlt was interrogated in the District Attorney's office for 5 1/2 hours on the morning of Sean's killing by Santa Cruz police. The interrogation took place only two hours after they were first informed of Sean's death on October 16, according to family friend Don Payne. Payne spoke at a community forum organized by the Social Justice Alliance of Santa Cruz (SJA) at Peace United Church on November 1 to address Sean's killing. Payne said he was speaking in the "spirit of transparency" and that he meant no disrespect with his statements. He said that the sharing of information in the case was, "an opportunity to come together in the spirit of finding a solution." Sean was suffering from mental health issues at the time he was shot and killed by Santa Cruz police, who say they deemed him a threat when he advanced towards four officers with a garden rake in his hands outside of a home on the west side. Outside of the SJA foru...

A large group of community members in Santa Cruz attended the October 25 city council meeting to voice their concerns regarding the killing of Sean Smith-Arlt by Santa Cruz police. Many in attendance held protest signs with the pre-printed messages "Release The Videotape Now" and "We Will Remember Sean!" Sean was suffering from mental health issues at the time he was shot and killed by Santa Cruz police, who say he advanced towards them with a garden rake in his hands outside of a home on the west side on October 16. Four officers were involved in the incident, which occurred over the course of a 20 second time-span that ended with one of the officers shooting two shots at Sean. Abbi Samuels holds a protest sign as she waits to speak to the Santa Cruz City Council during oral communications One close friend of the Smith-Arlt family, Don Payne, spoke before the city council, saying he had spoken to them after Sean's killing. He described himself as havin...

A candle light vigil was held for Sean Smith-Arlt at the Town Clock in Santa Cruz on October 22, coinciding with the 21st annual National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality. Sean was experiencing ongoing mental health issues when he was shot and killed on October 16 by officers with the Santa Cruz Police Department, who say he was advancing towards them while holding a garden rake when they deemed him a threat. A close friend of Sean's family spoke to the large group present at the vigil. "People have spoken about Sean's artistic ability, but Sean had the right brain cone as well," he said. "We used to sit sometimes and talk about Plank's Theory. Sean had quite an incredible mathematical mind, as well, so he had both the right and left brain working." "He had quite an incredible intellect, and he had quite a sense of humor to him as well," he added. He mentioned how he and Sean's family had taken a walk together in Pogonip the mo...

Officers with the Santa Cruz Police Department shot and killed a man outside of a home on the corner of Chace and Getchell Streets, in a residential neighborhood, on the west side of Santa Cruz. Preliminary reports from the media have stated that a 32-year-old man experiencing mental health issues was advancing towards police with a gardening rake when officers deemed him a threat and shot and killed him at about 3:30 am on October 16. What appears to be a small rake lays in the street at the scene of the police killing that occurred on Chace Street on Sunday morning. At noon on October 16, police were still processing the scene. A small garden rake could be seen lying on Chace Street, with a numbered evidence marker next to it. In addition to SCPD, deputies with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office were also processing evidence. Commercial media outlets have reported that police were initially called to a home on Chace Street after the victim had attempted to enter th...