Community Remembers Eight years After Andy Lopez’s Death

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andy-lopez

An image of Andy Lopez is surrounded by candles on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013, in Santa Rosa, Calif. Hundreds of people have gathered in Santa Rosa to protest the fatal shooting of a 13-year-old boy by a California sheriff's deputy. Andy Lopez was shot by a Sonoma County deputy last week after authorities say the deputy mistook a pellet gun Lopez was carrying for an assault rifle. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Today marks eight years since the death of Andy Lopez, the 13-year-old boy shot and killed by a Sonoma County deputy. A vigil will be held today at Andy’s Unity Park off of Moorland and West Robles Avenues from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Lopez was walking with a toy airsoft gun in a vacant parking lot back in 2013 when Deputy Erick Gelhaus and his patrol partner approached Lopez and ordered him to drop his weapon. Gelhaus fired several shots at Lopez, and he said he saw Lopez turn and raise the barrel of the airsoft gun. Lopez was shot seven times and died at the scene.