Officer Timothy Berchtold Involved in Third Shooting in Three Months – Killing A 15yr Boy This Time

July 14, 2010May 9, 2013 Ademo Freeman 584 Views bakersfield ca, call food, Corruption, Double Standard, Homicide, timothy berchtold

This story was emailed to me by a concerned citizen in the area. It comes from Bakersfield, Ca and is about the shooting of a 15 yr old boy after a short car chase. The article states:

Dozens of people gathered for a candlelight vigil last night to remember a 15-year-old boy who was shot and killed by Bakersfield Police officers over the weekend.

Many of them we spoke to didn’t want their identities revealed, but they say BPD officers are too quick to pull the trigger, and the unarmed boy should not have been shot.

15-year old Traveon Avila was shot by officers Friday night after a short pursuit in a stolen car.

Now, the shooting has escalated tensions between people living off Cottonwood Road, which is known for gang activity, and the Bakersfield Police Department.

“This is wrong they shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this. Someone or somebody need to do something. Somebody need to stop the Bakersfield Police Department.”

Officers said Avila backed into their patrol car, and that’s when they fired several times.

But witnesses say the car was stalled and rolled back.

According to another article posted on KGET.com this is Officer Timothy Berchtold’s THIRD shooting incident since May. That’s not even three months; what was this officer doing back on the job? There also seem to be several eyewitness, one seen in the video below, that state the victim’s hands were in the air when he was shot. I attempted to call the department about this but was told no one arrives in until 8 am. Here is the number for the watch commander in Bakersfield in case you decide to give them a call: 661.326.3818. I know I will be trying again later.

What’s even more scary is the fact that Kern County Sheriff’s could be brought in to investigate this shooting, being that they are the local county sheriff’s department. The same sheriff’s Cop Block covered last March for breaking into a woman’s home without a warrant. They too have had disputes about wrongful deaths at the hands of those with badges. Stay tuned to CopBlock.org for more information on this story.