My son, Victor Coleman, was working out of town and left a confusing message with his wife that caused her to become concerned for his welfare. She called 911 in Oroville, CA for a wellness check.
The police found him in his motel room at about 4:00PM. As she was driving from Bakersfield, she was able to talk with Vic and she asked the police not to go in. They assured her they would wait, but at 5:15, according to media reports, 5 officers rammed the door open, entered and 3 officers killed him. She was on the phone with Vic's work partner who was behind the police tape outside the motel room. She heard the door break and the immediate shots that killed her husband.
Photos of the room indicate that the paths of all bullets were downward. No bullet holes were above 8-10 inches from the floor except one which entered the woodwork about counter level and traveled downward.
The DA has not released the medical examiners report after 2 months, but photos of his body indicate four or more shots in a tight pattern into the heart. His chest looked like a shooting range target. It appears that there was one shot that entered under his chin and traveled up the side of his face, probably as his body was falling backward from a sitting position. There were numerous other injuries on his body apparently from gun fire.
We have asked the DA why they broke in and why they didn't use less than lethal force. He maintains that those issues are still under investigation.
Less than 3 weeks latter, also in Butte Co., a deputy sheriff killed Cory Bush, who appeared to be having a nervous breakdown and threatening himself. There has been no release of information from that same DA. Please ask the Dept of Justice to investigate the police killings in Butte Co. CA. Thank you.
