SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution declaring July 22 Mario Woods Day.
The decision came among hugs, tears and applause on Tuesday.
Woods is the 26-year-old man killed by police officers last month. His shooting death was caught on camera, and it sparked outrage in the community.
Now, the mayor is asking the U.S. Justice Department to investigate the Woods shooting.
The resolution, introduced by Supervisor David Campos, also committed the city to “meaningful police reform.” Campos said it was also intended to honor others recently killed in officer-involved shootings, including Alex Nieto and Amilcar Perez-Lopez.
“We, as San Francisco, the city of Saint Francis, see nothing wrong with recognizing that we have a problem,” Campos said. The resolution was approved with the support of Woods’ mother, Gwen Woods, who on Tuesday thanked the board for standing up to opposition from police union officials.
“Sometimes you have to stand up and look life in the eye,” Woods said. “Everyone can’t be bullied.”
Gwen Woods said she was recently approached by young boys asking her if she was Mario’s mother and asking for her picture, and it hit her, “we have to make it safe for them to walk around.”
The resolution came on the heels of a call by Mayor Ed Lee for a federal investigation into the death of Mario Woods, who was shot in the Bayview District on Dec. 2 by officers investigating a stabbing. Lee, who sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch last week requesting an investigation, said at the Board of Supervisors meeting that the probe was needed to rebuild the trust between police and communities of color. He noted that the department has already taken steps toward reform and that he has asked Police Chief Greg Suhr and the Police Commission to respond by Feb. 15 with detailed plans to implement reforms.
“I’m committed to this work, and I know all of you are as well,” Lee said.
Also in response to Woods’ shooting, Supervisor Malia Cohen introduced a charter amendment that would require the Office of Citizen Complaints to investigate every time a police officer discharges a weapon.
Currently, the office only investigates when there is a complaint filed or when a death occurs.
“I believe whenever a weapon is discharged an investigation should ensue,” Cohen said.
Cohen said the measure, which is intended to appear on the June ballot, was intended to help restore trust in the fairness of police shooting investigations.Bay City News contributed to this report