Photos: “Justice for Miles Hall Rally and Tribute” at Civic Park in Walnut Creek

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A diverse crowd of several hundred people attended the “Justice for Miles Hall Rally and Tribute” at Civic Park in Walnut Creek Wednesday evening.

Hall, 23, was shot by Walnut Creek police while he experienced a mental health episode on June 2, 2019. Hall’s parents Scott and Taun Hall spoke at the event, along with a number of others.

The Halls created the Miles Hall Foundation to educate families and “help protect those suffering with mental illness from excessive use of force by law enforcement.” The family is calling for change in the way authorities handle such situations.

Rick Perez, of Richmond, whose son Richard “Pedie” Perez was shot and killed by Richmond police on Sept. 14, 2014, also decried excessive use of force by police. Matt Chang, brother of Erroll Chang, described trying to calm his brother down until the situation escalated, and he was fatally shot by a Daly City officer after stabbing a SWAT team member in Pacifica on March 18, 2014. Chang suffered from mental illness.

As people sat among lawn signs with a photo of Hall reading: “Justice for Miles Hall,” some supporters wore themed shirts and customized face masks, while family members held pictures of their deceased loved ones. Volunteers gave out buttons and bracelets, and the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) hosted an informational table.

Sienna Terry, of Walnut Creek, was one of the many young people who voiced their opinions.

“For those who are just now beginning to speak up,” she said, “you cannot say ‘Black Lives Matter,’ if they only matter to you when they’re dead.”