The Los Angeles City Council will hold a moment of silence to commemorate Yong Yang, 40, who was fatally shot by a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer.
According to Yang’s father, Min Yang, the council will hold a memorial for Yang on September 17, at 11:30 a.m. in Council Chambers, Room 340, at Los Angeles City Hall, with all council members present.
This will be the first time the council has held a formal memorial since Yang’s death on May 2. Before the memorial, Yang will speak to council members and the residents about his son’s unjust death.
Yong Yang, who suffered from mental illness, was shot dead by police officers who responded to the scene after his family requested that he be taken to the hospital. Four months after the incident, only the coroner’s autopsy summary has been released, and the results of the District Attorney’s investigation into the incident have yet to be released.
The City Council’s moment of silence was organized after father Yang recently met with Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez of Council District 13. “Councilmember Soto-Martinez shared with us that a friend’s son was shot and killed by an LAPD officer in 2020, and he deeply empathized with our family’s pain,” Yang said.
“He offered to not only be our advocate but to join us at the rally and help us connect with the mainstream media.”
After the memorial, Yang said he plans to join attendees in chanting on the City Hall grass field overlooking the LAPD. “It would be great to see the City Council Chambers filled,” he said, adding “Please come and join us to ensure that justice for Yong is realized.”
BY SUAH JANG, HOONSIK WOO [jang.suah@koreadaily.com]
