Mother of Manuel Reyes Rios, Victim of Santa Maria Police Shooting, Speaks Out.

Manuel Reyes Rios : Mother of Manuel Reyes Rios, 19-Year-Old Shot by Santa Maria Police Officer, Speaks Out

Dolores Rios, the mother of Manuel Reyes Rios, a 19-year-old man who was shot and killed by an off-duty Santa Maria police officer earlier this year, has spoken out about her son’s death for the first time. In an interview with a translator, Dolores, who is a single mother of three and works on a strawberry farm in Santa Maria, said that her son did not deserve to die that night. Despite video footage showing Manuel and two groups of people engaged in an altercation outside a store, Dolores maintains that her son was a “good person” who was defending himself and trying to save his friends. Local advocates have said that Manuel’s death is an example of the criminalization of Santa Maria’s indigenous community. The incident is currently under investigation by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.

News Source : Gabriela Fernandez