Youth Radio - Topic: eye witness

Witness in Richmond's Gang Rape Missing

denise — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:50:04 -0600

21-year-old Salvador Rodriguez was one the young people first taken into police custody in connection to the Richmond gang rape, but he was later released by police. Now Rodriguez, a key witness to the rape, is missing.

Rodriguez has been missing since Dec 6th. Family members of Rodriguez say that he received death threats after speaking to ABC 7 news. He told reporters he was skateboarding the night of the incident and saw the rape take place. He said he tried to help the victim after the assault was over. Richmond Police Sergeant Bisa French told KCBS news that they are concerned and that searching for Rodriguez is not easy because he does not have a permanent residence.

Check out the interview Rodriguez did with ABC 7 news. The interview also includes another witness—who doesn’t show his face because he is afraid something may happen to him.

Previously:

An Eye For Truth

noah — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:59:02 -0600

19 year-old Karina Vargas welcomed the New Year watching fireworks with friends in San Francisco, but little did she know that later that night she would play a key role in the murder investigation of 22-year-old Oscar Grant. The video she captured of then Bay Area Rapid Transit officer Johannes Mehserle shooting Grant, along with other witness videos, became a catalyst for multiple protests and the eventual arrest of Mehserle.

Like any other teenager with a camera, Vargas setout to document a fun night out with her friends, but her most memorable footage came on the BART platform that night. Vargas told Youth Radio, “No matter how much time passes, I'm never going to forget it. 2009, that New Years, I'll never forget what I had to witness.” She heard yelling through the open doors of her train car and stepped off to witness police officers pulling young men from the BART. Drawing her brand new Christmas gift up to her eye, she captured two videos of the police action, and says she was standing within just 15 feet of Grant when he was shot in the back while lying facedown on the ground.

Karina Vargas regularly confides in her mother about her experiences that night, "I'll say mom it's just not fair, it's just not fair that I had to see that and it's not fair for him." It was Vargas’ mother who recommended she give the video to local TV news channels, and through only a few interviews with those channels, she has become a reluctant public figure. She’s been stopped in the grocery store and at Starbucks. Some people praise her heroism and others criticize her for seeking publicity.

Vagas says she hasn’t left her house, since New Year’s Day, without bringing her camera with her, and she hopes her documentation will inspire others. "Hopefully with what I've done, maybe some people will try to do good, try to do better and get the truth out." With more people, especially youth, carrying smart phones with high quality cameras, citizens undoubtedly have more surveillance power than ever before, tipping the balance of power in favor of the masses.

Oscar Grant's Close Friend Speaks Out

denise — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:37:13 -0600

Youth Radio talks to one of Oscar Grant's in laws who gives us in insight about what happened the day Oscar Grant was killed by former BART official and how the family is dealing with it.

Oscar Grant's Cousin Witnesses Fatal Shooting

Devonte Swag — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 20:15:57 -0600

Youth Radio talks to Oscar Grant's cousin who witnessed former BART officer Johannes Mehserle shot and kill her love one after celebrating the New Year.

Oscar Grant: Friend's First Hand Account

wilmer — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:55:58 -0600

At yesterday's protest Salvin Moore, a former classmate of Oscar Grant, gives his eye witness account of what occurred at Fruitvale station the night his friend was slain.