Citizens seek ‘Justice for Tias’; march planned Sept. 7

NAACP.

BY THE OBSERVER STAFF

OPELIKA — A crowd of citizens gathered at Christ Temple Holiness Church in Opelika last week for a “Justice for Tias” rally. Participants expressed grievances around the fatal shooting of a citizen by an Opelika police officer at Century Park Apartments on Century Blvd. last month.

Several attendees said there is a high level of distrust toward the officer who fired the shot that killed Tias Desquan

CONTRIBUTED BY LEE RUSSELL

OPELIKA — Lee Russell Public Transit (LRPT) is providing a free shuttle service from eight designated Opelika hotels to Dick’s Sporting Goods in Tiger Town to connect with Tiger Transit for home football games again this year. LRPT will pick up

Cobb, 25, of Auburn in the early morning hours of Aug. 18. Some attendees also expressed displeasure regarding the way the media reported on the incident; namely, that media identified the person shot by the officer as being armed — but did not report that he had undergone a background check to legally obtain a firearm.

An attorney identified as Ryan Williams of the RCW Law Group spoke to the group by telephone. He said he has filed to guests at their hotels, deliver them to Tiger Transit and return them to their hotels when they return to Tiger Town. Tiger Transit will then shuttle guests from Dick’s Sporting Goods to Tiger Way near the stadium and return to Dick’s Sporting Goods for all home games.

LRPT’s Hotel Shuttle and Tiger Transit’s Football Shuttle will run four nhours have the footage from police dashcams and officers’ vests released to the public as soon as possible.

“It’s time for us to get together now and make sure that we get the answer that we deserve, that we need [transparency] from the law enforcement officers, and we hold everyone accountable,” Williams said. “We’re going to make sure that we get the videos. We’re going to investigate this to the fullest on our own before kickoff, throughout the game and two hours after the game. The Tiger Town Hotel Shuttle includes pickups and deliveries at the following Opelika locations:

- Fairfield Inn

- Hampton Inn

- Holiday Inn;

- Home2Suites

- La Quinta

- Microtel Inn

- Best Western and end. We’re going to put our resources behind it. There’s a video here. We want to see it all. We want to comb through every inch of that apartment complex. We want to talk to every person that can see this so that we can make sure that… justice comes.”

Others among those in attendance were Oscar Penn of Concerned Citizens of Opelika, Elder James Johnson of Racial Justice Network and Laticia Smith of the Lee County Chapter of the

- Studio 6. No reservation is necessary and there is no charge for the service. Call (334) 749-9092 for more information. The Tiger Town Hotel Shuttle services is provided in cooperation with the city of Opelika, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Lee-Russell Council of Governments and Tiger Transit.

The Racial Justice Network announced it will hold a protest march in Opelika at noon on Sept. 7. Those wanting to participate in the march should meet at the corner of Toomer Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Opelika.

Opelika’s Chief of Police, Shane Healey, issued the following statement upon a request by The Observer for more information regarding this matter.

“We understand the family’s desire for immediate justice along with the community’s desire for answers. As a department, we are committed to serving our community with fairness, and in doing so, we must adhere to strict guidelines and procedures to uphold due process.

“It is our hope that the Opelika community, whom we have spent countless years building relationships with, understands the need to follow established legal proceedings to ensure a fair and just outcome.”

CONTRIBUTED BY CITY OF AUBURN

AUBURN — Auburn Parks and Recreation is looking for qualified contract instructors to teach classes and programs in the community. The department is seeking passionate individuals with expertise in fitness, arts, sports and recreation to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with Auburn residents.

Auburn Parks and Recreation offers a diverse range of programs and activities for people of all ages and abilities. The department is looking for instructors to lead classes in areas such as:

Fitness: Aquatics, Low Impact, Teen Fitness and Preschool Fitness

• Wellness: Nutrition Education, Stress Management, Support Group Leaders and Mindfulness Workshops

• Senior Programs: Mahjong, Bunco, Fitness, Music, etc.

Special Needs Programs: Art, Writing, Finance, Dance, etc.

• Special Interests: Homeschool Leaders, CPR/First Aid, ACT Prep, etc.

Athletics: Youth League Coaches, Tennis Instructors, Special Olympics Coaches

Qualified candidates should possess strong communication and interpersonal skills as well as a proven ability to create engaging and effective learning environments. Experience in teaching group classes is preferred but not required. References, and in some cases certifications, will be required.

Interested individuals may email Community and Special Programs Administrator Gabby Filgo at gfilgo@auburnalabama.org.

For more information about Auburn Parks and Recreation, please call (334) 5012930, visit auburnalabama.org/parks and follow Auburn Parks and Recreation on Facebook and Instagram.