Community, family demand ‘justice for Brandon,’ who died in police custody at La Gran Plaza
A candlelight vigil was organized and held Friday evening for 20-year-old Brandon Zapata, who was in severe distress and was in police custody before he died at La Gran Plaza.
“Justice for Brandon,” the crowd chanted. The vigil, which was held outside of a south Fort Worth party hall, was organized by Tara Maldonado-Wilson, a community activist and candidate for the Fort Worth City Council District 11.
“We now are here tonight because Brandon came in contact with local law enforcement and now is no longer alive here with us,” said Maldonado-Wilson, commencing the vigil.
Zapata was restrained and handcuffed by security guards, including an off-duty Fort Worth police officer, at La Gran Plaza shopping center on April 11 after he was “acting erratically,” according to police.
Video, including cellphone footage from witnesses and security and body-camera video released by police, shows the events leading up to Zapata’s death. Witnesses said Zapata was struggling to breathe and asked for help when he entered the mall. On the video, security officers appeared at first to try to calm Zapata and get him to sit down, and then struggled with him as he tried to stand. Toward the end of a 15-minute security video, the off-duty officer and a bystander pinned Zapata face-down on the floor as they handcuffed him.
While in handcuffs, Zapata became unresponsive shortly after on-duty officers arrived, according to police and video footage. Officers then removed his handcuffs and provided first aid, including CPR and Narcan, for several minutes until paramedics arrived. Zapata was transported to a hospital, where he was officially pronounced dead, but his family has said they were told he died while still at the mall.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy but has not yet reported its findings on Zapata’s cause or manner of death. Zapata’s family said they haven’t seen the results of the autopsy or the toxicology report, but they are having a private autopsy done.
“I felt that it was my duty to come to support his family because they’re going to need support from this day forward,” said James Smith — the neighbor who called 911 the night Atatiana Jefferson died after being fatally shot by a Fort Worth police officer in October 2019. “We all have families that we protect from incidents like this. Brandon was far too young to lose his life in the manner that he lost it.”
“It doesn’t make any sense to go to a mall under your own power and not leave that mall under your own power,” Smith said at the vigil.
Zapata’s family members believe his death could have been avoided and are demanding justice and answers from the Fort Worth Police Department.
“I want you to know that there are people here, people like me, and people like Tara (Maldonado-Wilson), who are going to show up for you in the community and who are going to work to fight against what’s happening to the people here,” said Luis Fuentes at the vigil, who is a community activist and candidate for Texas’ 33rd Congressional District. “I’m here for everyone who has suffered from police violence.”
Zapata’s mother, Gloria Ortiz, has said her son suffered from asthma and didn’t have his inhaler with him when he was at the mall. The family said that they believe Zapata’s erratic behavior was a result of an asthma attack, and that they were told he was asking for water. The family believes that the security officers’ actions may have impeded his breathing.
Ortiz and other family members attended Friday’s vigil but didn’t want to make additional statements.
In their visit to police headquarters on Tuesday, Zapata’s family was accompanied by community activist Carlos Quintanilla. The family viewed footage of the incident obtained by police. “We believe that there was excessive force,” Quintanilla said.
Video taken by employees who work at shops in La Gran Plaza shows two men, including the off-duty officer, with their knees on Zapata’s back. The family said they saw extensive bruising on Zapata’s back and shoulders at the funeral home.
The family has established a GoFundMe to help cover his Zapata’s expenses. As of Friday $5,560 of a $10,000 goal had been raised.
Zapata’s funeral will be held on Saturday.
Staff writer Harriet Ramos contributed to this report.
