A rally is being organized in Oakland to demand justice for Steven Taylor, a man shot and killed by a San Leandro police officer in 2020. Taylor was fatally shot by former officer Jason Fletcher at a Walmart, allegedly while stealing merchandise. Taylor’s family maintains that he was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of the incident.
Fletcher has since been charged with manslaughter. The rally is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. at the Alameda County Courthouse, coinciding with Fletcher’s court hearing. Taylor’s case has raised significant questions about how law enforcement handles incidents involving individuals in mental health crises, emphasizing the urgent need for comprehensive law enforcement reform.