Mostly we hope that one day we will live in a County in which police, who carry guns and are taught to respond to crisis via physical restraint, are not the ones sent to care for community members in distress. 6/6

We hope that GPD and the MoCo Administrative Charging Committee will carefully review the case and discipline the officers. More importantly, we hope that the GPD will review their policies and procedures so that a decision to "help" someone by restraining them does not result in another death. 5/6

Had police tried to render first aid instead of moving away; had GPD had a Spanish-speaking mobile crisis response unit on the scene to de-escalate; had they let Marvin keep walking and monitored him instead of using a restraint known to create risk of death, he might still be alive today. 4/6

Key to this conclusion appears to be a finding that police "immediately turned him to his back when he stopped resisting;" yet on the body-worn camera footage it appears that it took the officers a full minute to realize that Marvin had stopped moving before they turned him over. 3/6

The ME listed the "prone restraint" that Gaithersburg City officers used against him as a cause of his death and ruled his death a homicide, but the AG concluded that the police committed no crime because their use of force was "necessary and proportional" and not "grossly negligent." 2/6

RSVP HERE: bit.ly/SSJCGCCRSVP

The hearing begins at 7:30 pm, but we will gather at 7 to prepare. We'd like to have as many community members there as possible to support those who will be testifying. Please bring signs that say: "Transparency and Accountability," "How Many More Have to Die?," "Why Won't You Meet With Us?" 2/3

We will keep everyone updated as the investigation into Mr. Garcia's death progresses. 3/3

You can read an article summarizing the footage and the incident leading to Mr. Garcia's death here. The footage is upsetting, so please be aware of that if you choose to watch it. 2/3 bethesdamagazine.com/2025/01/28/b...

If you can join us to show your support, please RSVP at bit.ly/YPP4HS and show up at 5:20 pm this Tuesday, January 27, 15 W. Gude Drive, Suite 100, Rockville, MD. Dinner will be provided! 3/3

Students and community members will be testifying in support of full funding for restorative justice programming in MCPS, a critical component of reducing the role of law enforcement in schools and ending the school to prison pipeline. 2/3

In addition, we wonder why a SWAT team surrounded the man's vehicle. Our county must prioritize a mental health-led response that is appropriate for a person in severe distress.

When officers want to preserve life during a mental health crisis, they obviously can and do. The lives of all people in crisis must be preserved. 2/3

To make lasting change and create a just environment where Black students don’t attend schools polluted with racism and all students can thrive, MCPS must implement restorative justice and anti-racist programming that addresses and prevents future acts of anti-Black racism. 2/2

If you'd like to visit the bench, it is on Sligo Creek Parkway between Colesville and Wayne at Three Oaks Drive. 3/3