News Archives - Open Vallejo

Six police officers stand at attention in an automotive museum

Vallejo officer fired for endangering colleague sues city, ex-coworkers

by Geoffrey King September 18, 2023October 30, 2023

A young man in various poses

Open Vallejo to publish free obituaries

by Geoffrey King August 14, 2023November 1, 2023

Frank Melville's mugshots, from the front and side.

‘The purpose of punishment is not to wreak vengeance’: the remarkable story of Vallejo’s ‘boy bandit’

by Brendan Riley April 5, 2023October 27, 2023

A Black councilmember in his 40s smiles excitedly while speaking with the City of Vallejo's first Black police chief inside a city council chambers while surrounded by other councilmembers and members of the news media.

NAACP threatens to eject Hakeem Brown from organization

by Geoffrey King March 15, 2023October 27, 2023

Vallejo Police Chief Shawny Williams is seen at his swearing-in ceremony on Nov. 12, 2019, at Vallejo City Hall.

Vallejo police chief resigns, former Sacramento chief to consult

by Laurence Du Sault and Geoffrey King November 4, 2022October 27, 2023

Vallejo Police Chief Shawny Williams speaks with Annice Evans, whose son Angel Ramos was killed by a Vallejo police officer on January 23, 2017, at a Vallejo City Council meeting on March 8, 2022. Ramos did not have a weapon.

Shake-up looms as Vallejo police chief takes time off

by Laurence Du Sault and Geoffrey King October 27, 2022October 31, 2023

Five Vallejo police officers pose indoors with another man in a black and white group photograph taken in the 1970s or early 1980s. Front row, left to right: John Lynch, Peter Zander, Ronald Guerra. Back row: unknown, Herbert Shrum, Burky Worel, Louis Baldino.

Vallejo patrol staffing drops below 1975 levels

by Laurence Du Sault and Geoffrey King September 21, 2022October 27, 2023

A shirtless man holding a handsaw blade approaches two deputies, one of whom is pointing a handgun, outdoors during daytime, from the perspective of the body camera of a third deputy, who is pointing a Taser at the man.

Solano sheriff releases footage of Juneteenth shooting in Vallejo

by Geoffrey King September 3, 2022October 27, 2023

Then-San Jose Police Department Capt. Jason Ta, left, poses in the Vallejo City Council chambers for a photograph with Vallejo Police Chief Shawny Williams minutes after Williams was sworn in as Vallejo's police chief on Nov. 12, 2019. In 2021, Williams recruited Ta to serve as his deputy chief of police.

Deputy police chief arrived impaired to Vallejo homicide, memo alleges

by Laurence Du Sault July 20, 2022November 22, 2023

A flashlight leaves a streak of light through a crime scene at night.

City of Impunity

Vallejo tolerated officers’ mistakes. Then they killed again.

by Laurence Du Sault July 7, 2022October 13, 2023