In June, Kona Rush of Chico filed a lawsuit alleging excessive force during the arrest of her 17-year-old daughter on suspicion of drunken driving. The suit accuses Chico Police Sgt. Mark Bass of unnecessarily rough treatment of Lilly Rush, whose arm was healing from surgery at the March incident. Bass is now a defendant in two lawsuits. This video, produced by Julian Mendoza and Dave Waddell, tells the story of the sergeant’s checkered history.
Tag: Chico police
Is Tyler Rushing case finally headed to trial? Judge denies Chico’s latest moves to thwart police-violence lawsuit
photo courtesy of Rushing family
Tyler Rushing
by Dave Waddell
posted July 26
Editor’s note: An emailed statement from Police Chief Billy Aldridge was added to this story the morning of July 28. Because of an email glitch, his statement was unfortunately missed at the time of the story’s posting.
The City of Chico’s efforts to avoid a civil trial over the tasering of an incapacitated Tyler Rushing -– legal moves Rushing’s father calls “bullying” -– seem now at an end with a recent ruling by a federal judge.
“It looks like we’re going to get our day in court now -– or week, or whatever it takes,” said Scott Rushing, speaking by phone while visiting Sunday, with his wife Paula, the Ventura cemetery where their only son’s ashes are interred. July 23 was the sixth anniversary of Tyler’s slaying by a private security guard and Chico police. Tyler, who operated a window-washing business, would be 40 years old had he not been killed.
Chico’s police chief and de-escalation Aldridge defends use of weapons obtained from military
by George Gold
guest commentary posted May 2
The Chico City Council approved the police department budget and use of military weapons earlier in April 2023, weapons that were obtained under the U.S. Department of Defense 1033 program.
Recent California statutes require the police department hold at least one community engagement meeting to discuss the purchase and deployment of these military-style weapons.
During the only “meet the community” on April 27, which was called to review the Chico Police Department’s use of military obtained weapons in Chico, Police Chief Billy Aldridge repeatedly called the use of these weapons a way to de-escalate a given situation.
An open letter to the new Chico police chief Gold: 'Change the culture of police violence'
photo by Leslie Layton
Billy Aldridge was a captain at Chico Police Department and was promoted to chief on Dec. 20.
by George Gold
column posted Dec. 21
I’m afraid to live in Chico. Not because I might be mugged, not because I might get shot in a carjacking, but I am worried that on any given day I could be shot by someone representing our police department.
Rather than budgetary increases for the much needed road repairs all over Chico, rather than funds to help those of us who may live without a home, rather than funds to provide more robust care for many of the mental health challenges we know are coursing through our communities every day, our City Council keeps approving more and more money for tactical and military-style weapons for the police. More than 50% of the City of Chico’s budget ends up on the police department balance sheet.
Chico PD sued over ‘Gabe’ Sanchez slaying ChicoSol’s coverage raised doubts about his killer’s story
by Dave Waddell
posted Oct. 2
The father of Eddie Gabriel “Gabe” Sanchez, an armed robbery suspect shot to death by police officer Mark Bass in 2015, has sued Bass and the City of Chico on behalf of Sanchez’s teen-age son.
The wrongful death complaint was recently filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Sacramento by civil rights attorneys Stanley Goff of San Francisco and Fulvio Cajina of Oakland. In seeking unspecified damages, the complaint asserts violations of Sanchez’s son’s Fourth Amendment rights due to excessive police violence and of his 14th Amendment rights because of loss of the companionship of his father.
Expert: Wounds contradict cop’s killing claim Chico PD discloses records on Mark Bass’ slaying of ‘Gabe’ Sanchez
screenshot from Chico PD’s 3D video showing where Gabe Sanchez was struck by police bullets.
by Dave Waddell
posted May 11
A top expert on police use of force says a newly disclosed investigative video seems to contradict key claims made by Chico police officer Mark Bass about his killing of Eddie Gabriel “Gabe” Sanchez in 2015.
The video, a three-dimensional depiction of Sanchez’s fatal wounds, was released by the Chico Police Department in response to a California Public Records Act (PRA) request submitted by this reporter in November 2020.
Sanchez, 34, grew up in Paradise. He was shot to death by Bass while fleeing along Pomona Avenue in west Chico. The killing garnered little media attention, let alone scrutiny, compared with the several Chico police shootings that have followed.