'He shot my son': Family, protesters demand justice for African American man killed by Danville officer

DANVILLE, Calif. (KGO) -- Dozens of people took to the streets of Danville Sunday to rally for justice in the death of an African American man shot and killed by a police officer. Officials had previously said the man, Tyrell Wilson, had a knife and advanced towards the officer when he was shot. Sunday Wilson's family members and their attorney questioned that.

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"I just feel like my heart has been ripped out!"

That's a father reacting after his 33-year-old son Tyrell Wilson, who suffered from mental health issues, was shot and killed by a Danville police officer earlier this month. He says police should have deescalated the situation instead of firing a shot that proved to be fatal.
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"He shot my son in the face and he needs to be held accountable for that," said Wilson who fought back tears as he spoke, "They think just because he was homeless... he had people that cared about him and loved him, and I loved that boy to death."

VIDEO: Danville officer who shot man last week, fatally shot man while on duty in 2018


Police have previously said that they responded to a report of someone throwing rocks onto Interstate 680 in Danville. Upon arriving in the area they came across Wilson. They later released an image of him with a knife, saying he pulled out that folding knife, didn't drop it like he was ordered to, and advanced towards an officer.



The family's attorney John Burris reacted to that Sunday.
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"There was a question about someone throwing rocks. We don't know if that is that person or not. Everything I know about Mr. Wilson would suggest that he's not the person but even so that's not a basis to kill someone," said Burris.

Dozens took to the streets of Danville Sunday including Oscar Grant's Uncle Cephus Johnson, known to many as 'Uncle Bobby,' who believes that had Tyrell been white he wouldn't have been shot.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Investigation underway after officer shoots man with knife in Danville

"But when it's a person of color the engagement is totally different," said Johnson.



The officer who fired the fatal shot, Andrew Hall, is on paid administrative leave per department policy. Investigators and the district attorney's office are reviewing the incident. Hall has been an officer for more than 7 years. He also shot and killed a man while on duty in 2018.
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"Apparently this deputy has a problem and he needs to be removed," said Wilson

We spoke with the family's attorney John Burris and he tells us that they have not yet filed a lawsuit but could do so in the coming weeks.