Homicide Report > Roger Williams, 41
Roger Williams, 41
Died March 3, 2011
Roger Williams, a 41-year-old black man was shot and killed by Los Angeles police Thursday, March 3, at Raymond and Florence avenues in Vermont-Slauson, according to authorities.
LAPD Officer Greg Baek said Williams was armed with a gun at the time of the shooting. The confrontation between Williams and officers from the 77th Street Division occurred shortly after 11 p.m.
Patrol officers had stopped a pedestrian "when the suspect drove up honking his car horn and screaming at the officers," according to an LAPD news release.
"The suspect who had gotten out of his car, waved a semi-automatic hand gun at the officers and began screaming obscenities at the officers," the release said. "The suspect put the handgun on the roof of his car then turned toward the officers and began walking toward them continuing to scream obscenities at them."
At that point, the officer in the passenger seat of the patrol car armed himself with a rifle. Williams then allegedly approached the officers who "continued to order the suspect to stop." He was shot after allegedly reaching toward his waistband. Williams, who was hit several times in the torso, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Los Angeles police said one semi-automatic handgun was recovered at the scene.
The shooting is under investigation, which is routine in incidents involving use-of-force by the police.
— Megan Garvey and Richard Winton
- Neighborhood: Vermont-Slauson
- Age: 41
- Gender: Male
- Cause: Gunshot
- Day of the week: Thursday
- Agency: LAPD Force Investigation
- Race/Ethnicity: Black
- Circumstance: Officer-involved
- Crime scene: Public place
19 reader comments about Roger Williams
Roger Christopher Williams was a kind man with a heart of gold, to know him was to love him. I have known him for over eighteen years & has never heard him say not even one curse word.Roger was not the type of person who caused disturbances he was more of a peace maker and his life was taken from him so brutally. he was not nor has never been a violent man he didnt even have a police record, he was an honest person that was always willing to lend a helping hand. Roger was a hardworking father of four that always provided for his family ( a city worker) a young african american male that actually took care of his children A kind hearted man taken from his children, his family, for reasons I refuse to believe. RIP Chris gone but never forgotten. Loved & cherised always Roger a loving & devoted son, father, brother,uncle, cousin, and friend but most of all a wonderful man. Roger leaves behind four beautiful children: Kristal, Roger 4th, Christian, and Krishawn. My deepest sympathy goes out to the four of you, You guys will for ever be in my prayers. My heart goes out to the family as well ,praying for u all.
March 8, 2011 at 3:58 p.m.
—Ayesha Kimbrough
So what is your speculation on what happened that night?
March 8, 2011 at 8:36 p.m.
One thing I can say about this story is that it does not sound right. There is truly something wrong. If he was as crazed as the story is written, why would he get out of the car, wave a semi-automatic gun, while screaming at officers, then put the gun down on top of the car and then proceed to walk towards the officers screaming in a threatening manner. Yet he not once fired at the officers. Anyone who has commonsence nows the story sounds made up. It sounds straight out fictitious.
March 8, 2011 at 9:39 p.m.
— Ayesha Kimbrough ... so why did the deceased attack the officers?
March 8, 2011 at 10:15 p.m.
syscom3, why did the police said that
Steven Eugene Washington came at them, when preliminary evidence disproved the two officers report?
As a black man living in Los Angeles there is alittle fear when I see police, to see officer just kill black people, and state I thought I saw a weapon is B.S.
I wander would fear cause me to blast first and deal with the judicial system, rather than have an officer kill me, a black man with no criminal record. I hope it never comes to that, but with the killings the angers grows!!
March 9, 2011 at 4:14 p.m.
Chris was a very good man. Chris actually has five children. His oldest son is Jaylen, he is 17 years old and will be 18 this month.If any of his family may read this and would like to meet Jaylen please contact me.
March 9, 2011 at 7:42 p.m.
I have a friend that was a co-worker and he also said that Roger did not cuss. The story to me is a bunch of bull. I find it hard to believe that two police officers feared for their lives and one had enough time to unlock the rifle, move to the back of the police car and shoot an unarmed man numerous times. Wouldn't it make more sense to use your side arm? I pray everyday for my sons who live here in California. It seems to me that a black man no matter what age wears a target on their chest; they not only have to worry about a gang banger or a thief; they now have to worry about the police who is suppose to serve and protect.
Growing up we were always taught to respect the police and that they would protect you if you need help but how can I teach that to my children when it seems like LAPD is the biggest gang in California.
If you don't believe me run a search on google for "Los Angeles Police shoots man" and see how many hits you get. Only a few people really know what happened on that night in question. It's just a shame that one is not hear to tell his side.
March 12, 2011 at 9:53 a.m.
Oh Gosh... LaLaLalaLA!! Mr. BigR0619 Please stop it! The Police just doesnt kill BLACK PEOPLE.. They kill Latins, Whites, Blacks & whatever comes their WAY!!! Come on maaan you must not watch the news or read blogs about Police killing Mexicans in Montebello like left & right & the White guy they killed not too long ago in Long Beach... and many more. Im saying... stop nagging
March 14, 2011 at 3:13 a.m.
I agree with Monica, law enforcement does not discriminate. Zac Champommier was white. Erik Scott was white. Doug Zerby was white. Christian Portillo was hispanic. DJ Henry was black. Reggie Doucet, Jr. was black. All of these young men were gunned down by "public servants" who, as in Steven Washington's case, may have fabricated their justification. Erik Scott was shot and killed in the entrance to a Costco for having a firearm that he had a permit to carry and was attempting to remove in its holster. Doug Zerby had no idea police were even around. He was executed for fiddling with a water nozzle while intoxicated. Police never even announced their presence. Zac Champommier was an 18 year honors student who had the misfortune of striking an officer who ran in front of his car as he drove through a parking lot. They shot from the rear and side of the car. A single bullet killed Zac. It entered his left arm and exited his right arm indicating that the shooter stood facing the driver's side door. How could they claim to be in fear for their lives at that moment? Yep, I wouldn't put anything past law enforcement who are involved in shootings (i.e., "bad shoots").
March 15, 2011 at 9:33 p.m.
If any of Chris's friends and family want to join the movement that is growing across the country to bring justice against those who improperly use and exploit the deadly force policy, Join the Movement on Facebook. These killings by police that appear to occur under very strange circumstances are a weekly, if not daily event in the US.
March 16, 2011 at 3:44 p.m.
The police in Los Angeles is more trigger happy because its citizens are. They have to react fast and being a cop in a city with so much gun violence certainly makes you more nervous. If someone with a semi automatic hand gun acts crazy i would shoot too. Get the guns off the streets and reduce gun crime and i am sure there will be less shootings with cops involved.
That being said, Rest in Peace Mr. Williams...
March 18, 2011 at 4:09 a.m.
Mel and Monica,
You both are so right death does not discriminate.
...In the line of duty I hear them say. My family now the price will pay...
Cuesta, Filbert
Gajda, Steven
Simmons, Randal
Escalante, Juan
Gama, Raul
Rosa, Maria
The list goes on and on. All gave thier lives.
March 19, 2011 at 4:26 a.m.
@Jake,
Giving one's life in the line of duty is part of the package. They know that that is a possibility when they wear the badge. Zac Champommier, however, didn't know that pulling into a parking lot where an undercover "multi-jurisdictional task force" was milling about after serving a warrant, would cost him his life. Doug Zerby had absolutely no idea that police had been observing him for several minutes. The only due process he got was an executioner's bullet from 2 Long Beach policemen. No "drop it". No "LBPD- put your hands up". Nothing but an execution. Erik Scott was a West Point graduate and former tank commander in the military. He was disarming at the entrance of a Costco in Las Vegas when he was accosted by three policemen with their guns drawn. Erik had a permit to carry a weapon because his pacemaker delivery business took him into dangerous parts of Vegas and he had to protect himself. As he removed his holster, he was gunned down. DJ Henry was parked in a fire lane. A cop knocked on his window as if to ask him to move. DJ moved his car. Another cop jumped into the path of his car with his gun drawn and began firing. DJ, a Pace University football standout, was handcuffed and bleeding to death. His friends were arrested for attempting to render CPR. The Pleasantville 7 as they are called, will be before a judge on March 24 to hear their fate.
Yep, the list goes on and on. One can see quite clearly that law enforcement deserves greater scrutiny and oversight. They appear to be manufacturing justification for their use of deadly force and unnecessarily taking life. Not quite the description of "public servant" we want, right?
March 21, 2011 at 10:24 p.m.
Mel,
So as long as a person makes the choice to put a badge on his chest that makes him an automatic target? What sick world do you live in? You want empathy from the larger community in which you live but yet are incapable of even pretending to have empathy! You have to be kidding right? A death of a loved one is only important if it was done at the hands of a cop? Well I guess you just lost me and your warped sence of whats right and wrong. I thought a death of anyone is a loss to us all. I didn't know that a higher force or God which ever is your choice held certain people above others. You want the bigger community to take up your cause of killer cops but you don't have the empathy that God gave a gnat. Well I guess you and I will talk again during the next killing either yours or mine since you drew the line right down the road. You will pray that it is one of mine and I will pray that all mine make it home safe. It is unfortunate that your blinders keep you from having empathy for any life lost especially for a life lost protecting the greater good. Randall Simmons was a fine out standing cop as were the others whose names I posted...but according to you they got exactly what was coming to them, well thank you from the bottome of my heart and the hearts of the families they left behind. So glad to know where you stand on this subject.
March 22, 2011 at 7:59 p.m.
@Jake,
Who said Simmons or any of those whose names you listed deserved to die? If one signs up for a job that includes, in addition to wearing the badge, a firearm...there must be a reason for the firearm. That would probably be that they may be faced with others who present the risk of serious bodily injury or death to either the officers or others. I'm sure that every officer's wife agonizes over the reality that their spouse may be killed in the line of duty every time they leave for work. The real numbers, however, suggest an underlying problem: about one cop per state dies in the line of duty every year. Since 1/1/2007, over 160 human beings have been slain by law enforcement, and that is strictly in the Los Angeles area alone.
Read the common language in the "official stories" and you'll soon realize that all an officer needs to say is "he reached for his waistband" which, of course, is where our hands naturally reside due to gravity.
But, Jake, if that is "your side", try to contact Steven Gates, former LAPD captain. He was brutalized by an OC sheriff for refusing to move a golf cart. If the younger brother of the late Chief Gates can be brutalized by his "brethren", you'll certainly have nothing to worry about, right?
March 28, 2011 at 11:45 p.m.
I hope this this young brotha was saved. This story does,nt sound right.
May 20, 2011 at 4:55 p.m.
hope he was saved. story does not sound right
May 20, 2011 at 5:37 p.m.
The story that I here are so heart broken the comments are so passionate,
heartbreaking and sad. Everybody tlks
about god or heaven but never about the
devil and hell.He and his cohorts are hard at work in the city of angels this
is not about gangs and killing Its been
said that we wrestle not against flesh &
blood but evil and wickedness in high places this is not gang related but spiritual related all the souls mentioned including this one were they saved these are the last days we are in
those that know what I am talking about
I challenge you to witness to those that will hear and pray for those that
won't because we all will stand before God including you syscom3 we all fall short of God's goodness some farther than others but we all fall short just the same A man shoes can't be said to be
good or bad until you have walked in them and the paths they have traveled
It appears yours to be quite comfy to judge others so harshly sometimes I will
pray god will enlighten your heart and mine you impact alot of people syscom3
believe it or not
take care of each other
and yourselfs
god bless
Sept. 22, 2011 at 1:25 p.m.
Poor man'..
Aug. 23, 2012 at 1:26 a.m.
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