Alfred Olango: Ugandan Refugee Twice Ordered Deported; Was 'Not Mentally Ill,' Mother Says

EL CAJON, CA — A 38-year-old black man who was unarmed when he was shot and killed by a police officer Tuesday in the East San Diego County city of El Cajon — prompting around-the-clock protests from demonstrators calling the fatal shooting unwarranted and racially motivated — was twice ordered deported, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official said Thursday.

Alfred Olango first came to the United States as a refugee from Uganda in 1991, according to an ICE statement.

Friends say he was born in Kampala, Uganda, as one of nine children. His mother and siblings emigrated to New York as refugees in 1991, apparently because his father — who worked for the late Ugandan President Idi Amin — made threats of violence against them.

The family eventually moved to Southern California, and Olango attended San Diego High School for a time before dropping out, though he later earned a GED. According to his Facebook page, he attended San Diego Mesa College and worked at a Hooters restaurant.

In 2002, after a conviction involving the sales and transporting of drugs, a federal immigration judge ordered Olango's deportation.

"Subsequently, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sought to obtain a travel document from the Ugandan government in order to carry out Mr. Olango’s removal," said Lauren Mack, spokeswoman for ICE in San Diego. "When multiple requests were unsuccessful, Mr. Olango was released from ICE custody in 2003 under an order of supervision due to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Zadvydas v. Davis."

That ruling generally precludes the agency from holding foreign nationals with final orders of removal for more than six months if their actual removal cannot occur within the reasonably foreseeable future, Mack explained.

"This is often due to a foreign government’s refusal to accept the repatriation of its nationals," she said.

Upon Olango's release in 2003, ICE placed him under an order of supervision and directed him to report to the agency on a regular basis.

In 2009, Olango was returned to ICE custody after serving a prison term for a conviction on a firearms charge in Colorado. ICE immediately renewed its efforts to obtain a travel document from the Ugandan government for Olango's deportation. The attempts were unsuccessful, and Olango was again released under an order of supervision.

"Up until February 2015, Olango had been reporting to the agency as required," Mack said. "However, he failed to appear for an in-person appointment with ICE officers that month and had not been encountered by the agency since."

Olango's mother, Pamela Benge, told news crews Thursday her son was distraught at the time of the shooting due to the death of a close friend — disputing reports that he was mentally unstable.

"He was not mental — he had a mental breakdown," she said, in tears.

Benge praised Olango as a decent son and father who simply needed help and kindness at the time of the deadly confrontation with police.

"My son (was) a good, loving young man, only 38 years old," she said. "I wanted his future to be longer than that. I wanted him to enjoy his daughter."

The grieving mother noted that her family had come to the United States 25 years ago to escape armed conflict in their homeland.

"We have come from a war zone," she said. "We wanted protection. That's why we're here. ... There are millions of refugees that are here, just searching for a better place. ... I thought a lovely nice country like this would protect us, we just need protection, that's all. My son ... he (didn't) kill anybody."

According to audio recording of the police radio conversation leading up the fatal shooting, El Cajon police were dispatched to a call about a possibly mentally disturbed person near a taco shop in a strip mall in the 800 block of Broadway. The caller — cited as Olango's sister on the radio call — reported he was "not acting like himself."

According to an El Cajon Police Department statement, the Psychiatric Emergency Response Team that the El Cajon Police Department has an agreement with was on a different radio call that was also PERT-related and was not immediately available to respond to the Olango call.

So a lone officer responded, and, according to El Cajon police, found Olango "walking in an out of traffic, endangering not only himself but motorists."

That officer reportedly could not get Olango to comply when asked "multiple" times to remove his hand, which was allegedly concealed in his pants pocket. Meantime, the officer called for backup.

"Because the subject did not comply the officer drew his firearm and pointed it at the subject while continuing to give him instructions to remove his hand from his pocket," said El Cajon police Lt. Rob Ransweiler said. "The second responding officer arrived on scene and immediately prepared to deploy a less lethal electronic control device [Taser] while the other officer covered. The subject paced back and forth while officers tried to talk to him. At one point, the subject rapidly drew an object from his front pants pocket, placed both hands together and extended them rapidly toward the officer taking up what appeared to be a shooting stance.

"At this time, the officer with the electronic control device discharged his weapon. Simultaneously, the officer with the firearm discharged his weapon several times, striking the subject."

At least one witness told reporters he heard five shots fired.

On Wednesday, police revealed that the object was an electronic smoking — or vaping — device. Police said the 1-by-3-inch silver cylinder was connected to a 4-by-2-inch case.

The fatal shooting prompted protests almost immediately.

On Wednesday, demonstrators marched a mile and a half from El Cajon Police Headquarters to the scene of the shooting, chanting "Black Lives Matter" and holding signs with similar messages.

At times, protesters blocked streets and freeway ramps while facing off with rows of officers in riot gear. The disruptions prompted a temporary closure Wednesday of nearby Parkway Plaza mall.

Relatives and supporters of Olange continued to decry the killing Thursday as unwarranted and racially motivated while vowing to fight for justice and calling on like-minded people to protest the death peacefully.

"We do believe that Alfred Olango was unjustly killed," the Rev. Shane Harris, president of the National Action Network-San Diego, said during a news conference at the civil rights agency's Midway-area offices. "We do believe that the officer who shot him five times did this with misconduct, and that is why we are here today."

One witness told reporters Olango — who was unarmed — had his hands raised when shots rang out, and another indicated he may have suffered a seizure.

Also see:

• Alfred Olango Confirmed as Black Man Killed in El Cajon Police Shooting
• El Cajon Police Shooting Protests Begin Wednesday Afternoon
• Police Shooting Near San Diego: After Black Man Shot, Killed by Police, Chief Says 'Truth Will Come Out'
• 'Erratic Subject' Shot In El Cajon Officer-Involved Shooting: Police

During a news conference the day after the shooting, El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells said he was "completely fine" with peaceful protests but concerned about the potential for the protests to turn destructive.

"I see what's happening all over the country," Wells said. "Of course I'm worried. ... I don't expect anything bad to happen, but I certainly don't want to be caught unaware."

A still photo lifted from witness video that showed a crouching man holding something at face level as two officers apparently trained weapons on him was released hours after the shooting. Protesters criticized police for releasing one photo, instead of the entire video.

Wells said he had seen the full video and was deeply affected by it but was holding off on any judgments.

"I saw a man who was distraught, a man who was acting in ways that looked like he was in great pain," Wells said. "And I saw him get gunned down and killed, and it broke my heart."

On Thursday, Wells issued a follow-up statement to his comments during the press conference.

"I did not intend to convey the message that what I saw on the video suggested to me that the use of the officer’s firearm was unjustified," Wells said. "In answering a question from a reporter regarding how I would feel if the individual in the video was my son, I attempted to convey in my answer, as a father of three young adults myself, the very human anguish I would feel if that were the case."
"However, as I also stated during the press conference, I, as Mayor, must leave such conclusions to the outside investigators of the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and I am confident that their conclusions will be fully based on all the evidence they have at their disposal, not just the video recording.
"I also want to make clear that I have nothing but respect for our police officers and the challenges they face on a daily basis in the field. I truly believe that the El Cajon Police Department is one of the finest police departments in the country."

The officers, who had more than 20 years of law enforcement experience, were placed on administrative leave, per protocol.

San Diego attorney Dan Gilleon, who has been advising Olango's family following the shooting, told reporters the patrolman who fired the fatal shots was demoted last year for making unwanted sexual advances toward a female subordinate.

Gilleon identified the officer as 21-year department member Richard Gonsalves. Police officials, for their part, have yet to release the name of either officer involved in the call that led to the shooting.

"I think anywhere in the country, that's worthy of being terminated," Gilleon said of the accusations against Gonsalves, which surfaced in a lawsuit filed by the alleged victim. "(Department officials) didn't do that. ... And the fact the that they rallied behind him back then just begs the question ... maybe that's why they're rallying behind him right now?"

Police have promised a thorough and transparent multi-agency investigation. Protesters called for a federal investigation.

Authorities disputed claims that bystanders' cellphones were taken at the scene. Only one was voluntarily turned over, police say.

Police added that although body-worn cameras have been approved and ordered for the force, the department's officers are not yet wearing them.

As demonstrations over the police shooting continued into a third day, El Cajon police said two people were arrested Thursday night as a group of between 50 and 75 protesters occupied the intersection of Broadway and Mollison in El Cajon and began "stopping vehicles and breaking their car windows."

"At one point, an assault took place between the protesters and a motorcyclist who was knocked off of his motorcycle," said Lt. Rob Ransweiler.

As numerous 911 calls were received about the disturbance, Ransweiler said a group of officers from the multi-agency composite platoon moved into the area. Unlawful assembly was declared and notice was given to protesters to disperse.

"The protesters began throwing glass bottles at the police and after the group refused to disperse pepper balls were deployed," Ransweiler said.

Two men, one 19 years old and the other 28, were arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor participation in "a rout or unlawful assembly," the lieutenant said.

Both arrestees are El Cajon residents, but their names were not immediately released.

Ransweiler said there have been no reports of injuries.

Previously, following Wednesday night's demonstrations, police released the below statement:

"A large group of demonstrators marched through the streets throughout the evening and into the early morning hours," the El Cajon Police Department said in a statement. "Police responded to a disturbance yesterday [Wednesday] near the scene of the incident, when an individual was confronted by demonstrators. While that person was visibly injured, he refused treatment and left the area.
"The police department is aware of, and will investigate, an incident in which a camera was forcibly taken from a photo journalist. The department urges all community members to remain calm during these trying times and allow the process of the investigation to continue while allowing the community to safely voice their concerns.
"In general, the majority of the people gathered in our city have prayed and spoken their minds about the relationship between the community and law enforcement in general. As we are able, we will continue to support the community’s right to safely voice their opinions in a peaceful manner.
"We have set up a Tip Line for citizens to be able to provide information to the police department about the officer involved shooting and about the planned and unplanned protests. This Tip Line is not intended to be used in the event of a crime or action that requires immediate response by the police department. Please use 911 for those cases.
"Tip Line – 619-579-4218. Please provide your name and a number you can be reached at."

— City News Service contributed to this report.

Photo: Single frame taken from one of the videos that investigators are reviewing. (Photo courtesy of El Cajon Police Department)