Hernandez, Amezcua speak on police shooting that killed teen following domestic disturbance
Only two City electeds spoke on the matter Tuesday.
Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua and Councilmember Johnathan Ryan Hernandez were the only elected officials to publicly address the police shooting death of 15-year-old Jaden Michaca during Tuesday night's City Council meeting.
The comments came two days after Michaca was fatally shot by Santa Ana police officers following a reported domestic disturbance at an apartment complex in the 3400 block of South Main Street.
According to police, officers responded around 10:30 p.m. Sunday after a caller reported that his girlfriend's son was allegedly under the influence, vandalizing property and had stabbed him with a knife. Officers encountered Michaca, who police said remained armed with a knife when an officer-involved shooting occurred. Michaca was pronounced dead at the scene.
During council comments, Hernandez offered condolences to Michaca's family and raised concerns about how young people in crisis are treated during encounters with law enforcement.
"I pray that should a parent ever be in a tragedy or in a crisis where they don't have the skills, that when they do call law enforcement, that law enforcement has the training to be able to safely help their child," Hernandez said.
While noting that he did not know the details of the shooting and would respect the ongoing investigations, Hernandez questioned whether more could be done to de-escalate situations involving youth. He also expressed concern about what he described as an increase in violence in the city and said children in crisis deserve support and intervention.
Amezcua's comments focused on parental responsibility and the limits of government intervention in family matters.
"We have no control over what our children do in the community, but you know who does? Our families. Their families," Amezcua said.
The mayor encouraged parents to keep children involved in activities such as sports, church, family outings and community engagement, arguing that strong family involvement can help steer young people away from violence and criminal activity.
"As policymakers, we are limited in what we can do, but we are here to support our constituents to the best of our ability," Amezcua said.
The shooting remains under investigation by the Santa Ana Police Department's Homicide Unit, the department's Internal Affairs Division and the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
Below are the full transcript comments of each elected. Note that Hernandez' comments were edited to correct the age of Michaca.
Transcript of Hernandez' comments on fatal police shooting of Jaden Michaca
FULL REMARKS: COUNCILMEMBER JOHNATHAN RYAN HERNANDEZ
"I just want to end my comments on a difficult note. I want to send my condolences to the family who recently lost their [15]-year-old son.
There was a [15]-year-old who was tragically shot recently, and we learned that this was an officer-involved shooting in our city. I don't know the details of this tragedy. I know that there is concurrent investigations taking place, as with any OIS, but I do want to emphasize to my colleagues and to the Santa Ana community that our children, God forbid whenever they do fall through the cracks, that I hope that we as parents and as a community have the tools to help them stand back up.
And that I pray that should a parent ever be in a tragedy or in a crisis where they don't have the skills, that when they do call law enforcement, that law enforcement has the training to be able to safely help their child.
I'm just very worried about what is happening in our city where we are seeing an increase in violence, where on May 28 we saw an 18-year-old shot and killed in front of his daughter and his daughter's mother. This young man was armed at that time, but being armed is a misdemeanor. California was once an open-carry state.
That young man should have had a day in court. We should have de-escalated that situation. That young man should have been arrested.
What if... — I mean, that's important. The young man was shot and killed and called a gang member, like many young people who are shot and killed by law enforcement across the country.
I share this comment with the public because the [15]-year-old deserved to get help. The [15]-year-old deserved to be treated like a [15]-year-old. Not to be pointed a gun at or to be yelled at, but to be told everything's going to be all right.
What do you need? Do you need to go outside? If we need 10 hours, do we need 15 hours, whatever it takes, you treat that child like a child.
I feel very fearful that we live in a city where we can shoot children. I want to see us prevent violence, and that means from our own employees as well.
My heart goes out to the family, and my heart also goes out to the officers who were behind that gun. I hope that everybody involved gets the healing that they need, and I hope that we see a day in Santa Ana where this is not how we treat each other.
I will respect the investigations that are going to play out, and I just ask that we give this young man the dignity and his family the same as well.
God bless them and I hope for better days.
Thank you."
Transcript of Amezcua's comments on fatal police shooting of Jaden Michaca
FULL REMARKS: MAYOR VALERIE AMEZCUA
"I want to close with this. There's a lot of things that take place in our community that we have no control over as council members, as the mayor, city manager, as police chiefs. We have no control over what our children do in the community, but you know who does? Our families. Their families.
And so I would ask that, you know, up here we talk sometimes about gang violence or activities for our youth and how do we keep them off the streets. This has been an issue since I was a very little girl, even before I was — I mean as far back as I can remember.
And what is the answer? "Idle time is the devil's time," as we say.
So to families, I would ask that you keep your children involved, whether it's church, sports, family outings. Go for a walk. Get them off their laptops or their phones. Have them look up and look around. Make friends. Get to know your neighbors so that our children, our young people, don't have to go towards that lifestyle that may end up leading them down the wrong road.
As policymakers, we are limited in what we can do, but we are here to support our constituents to the best of our ability, and we have amazing staff in our city who do all the work, whether it's the city manager's office, Parks and Recreation, Rudy and his Public Works, Alex with funding, and the Police Department.
We do a lot as a city. We just can't bear responsibility for everything.
And I'm a mom, and I'm a first grandchild, first daughter, first of everything. It's about families taking responsibility and getting involved with your children's lives.
And with that, goodnight and have a nice evening."
