Monday Doubleheader

We have two items we wanted you to be aware of. Please note our emphasis in the first article...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Richmond rallies against violence
WEST COUNTY: Annual gathering draws attention to the area's troubles with caravan, speeches and festivities

By Eric Louie
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

Rick Herrera was already planning on attending the West Contra Costa rally against violence Saturday when, just days before, he became a victim himself.

The 41-year-old, married, father of two said he was walking out of the Walgreens on Macdonald Avenue in Richmond around 7:30 p.m. Monday when, "Some guy walks up to me and says, 'break yourself.'" Herrera resisted. He was shot twice in the back. Two men then went through his pockets.

As Herrera recounted the incident, he turned to show two red spots bleeding through his white shirt where he was shot. "It's still leaking a little bit," he said.

Just before the rally started, the Oakland native, who now lives in Richmond, said it's time the community stand up against violence. "I've seen the fear in my wife's eyes. I've seen it in my children's eyes. It's pretty traumatic."

Saturday's rally started with a caravan of vehicles, which began at 24th Avenue and Barrett Avenue, next to the Richmond police station, and ended two miles north at Contra Costa College in San Pablo.

Richmond, a city of about 100,000, has had 25 homicides this year."Twenty five too many," said Lt. Enos Johnson, who with other Richmond police officers provided an escort to the city limits. The caravan, at times stretching up to five blocks long and led by a white hearse and a blue pickup with speakers to announce the event's message, was then escorted to the college by police from other agencies.

About 40 people regrouped at the college's football field, then marched together around a stage set up on the gridiron.

Lillian Powell, 60, of Richmond sang "Amazing Grace" during the opening march. Her son, Warren Powell II, was a Contra Costa College student planning to attend UC Davis and work in veterinary medicine when he was shot dead in Richmond in 2002.

She said she wanted the young men causing violence to know that she cares for them and wants them to find a better future, just as her son wanted one for himself. Before he died, he told his father that he wanted to see an end to the violence.

"He said, 'Dad, there must be something to stop these young men from killing each other,'" she said.

The day continued with music, prayers and speeches from victims' family members. The annual event began five years ago to bring together Christian families, but it is now focused on bringing attention to the area's violence, said founder Pastor Rich Kinney of Revival Generation Ministries in San Pablo.

"It's something that we need to let the community know," said organizer the Rev. George Brown of Totally Led Ministries. "We are surrounded by people who are hurt."

Bennie Johnson Sr.'s son, Bennie Johnson Jr., died in a 2004 unsolved Fairfield killing, which he believes was motivated by both robbery and tensions between neighborhoods in Richmond.

The 53-year-old Fairfield resident then started Stop the Violence, a nonprofit organization that had a booth at Saturday's event and holds annual picnics around the same theme.

"I pray to God that I go to camping trips, birthday parties," he said. "Not funerals."

Reach Eric Louie at elouie@cctimes.com or 925-847-2123.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And #2 is some great cooperation between Richmond PD and San Pablo PD. Thanks guys!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Police arrest 3 in Richmond robbery

By Maria Natale
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

Three suspects were arrested this afternoon after a jewelry store was robbed inside the Hilltop Mall in Richmond, the Richmond Police Department reported.

Richmond police Lt. Enos Johnson said officers were notified at 11:54 a.m. that four, armed males had entered Exotic Custom Jewelry at 2136 Hilltop Mall Road. One suspect held a gun and instructed all store patrons to get down onto the floor while the other three suspects pillaged several display cases, using a large hammer to smash the glass and steal 20 to 30 large, diamond-encrusted watches.

The suspects fled west on Interstate 80 in a silver Buick sedan but exited the freeway shortly afterward and continued on city streets. Johnson said another Richmond police officer spotted the vehicle in the 900 block of Humboldt Street, at which point three suspects abandoned the vehicle and ran.

Richmond and San Pablo police sealed off a three-block square from Humboldt Street to McLaughlin Street and McBryde Avenue to Esmond Avenue. Two suspects were arrested at McBryde Avenue and Lassen Street, Johnson said, and a third suspect was found in a back yard of a home during a search of the area by a police dog.

Johnson said the suspects removed articles of clothing and dropped some of the watches during the chase. Police believe they recovered most of the stolen property.

The three suspects were arrested on suspicion of armed robbery. Police are still searching for the fourth suspect, who likely exited the vehicle at some point between the mall and where the vehicle was spotted on Humboldt Street, Johnson said.

Information about the incident should be directed to Richmond police Det. Sgt. Lee Hendricsen at 510-620-6616.

Reach Maria Natale at 925-945-4774 or mnatale@cctimes.com.