One week ago, police in Palm Springs said they fatally shot U.S. Marine Cpl. Allan Devillena after he hit an officer with a car. Today in the Bay’s Kimberly Tere has more details on what his family is demanding.
The body of a San Jose marine who was shot by police in Palm Springs just over a week ago has returned home Sunday.
Family of 22-year-old U.S. Marine Cpl. Allan Devillena gathered to watch as the young man's flag-draped coffin was taken into a Fremont mortuary.
Some held signs that said, "Justice for AJ Allan DeVillena II"
Devillena was shot and killed in the early morning on Nov. 10 after a confrontation with Palm Springs police took a deadly turn.
Vivian Gaorian, Devillena's aunt, told NBC Bay Area, "I don't understand why this had to happen to him. To this extreme. Nobody deserves this-- nobody."
But Palm Springs police said they had no choice but to fire on Devillena, who they said had refused multiple orders to stop the car he was driving-- instead using his car to to hit one officer and drag another. Police also said they had found stolen ATM card and identification card in the car Devillena was driving.
Devillena's family told NBC Bay Area that they believe the Palm Springs police may not be telling the whole story about the events leading up to the shooting and are calling on the Marines to step in and take over the investigation into Devillena's death.
"We're not confident with just the Palm Springs Police doing the investigation. we're not confident with their district attorney doing the investigation," said Devillena's father Allan Devillena, Sr.
Devillena's family also said he had recently returned from Afghanistan and was weeks away from finishing his service with the Marines.
"This is a young man who signed up served this country. He went to Afghanistan, came back untouched, was safe in Afghanistan-- came back to get killed, Devillena Sr. said.
