Protesters march along Firestone Blvd in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, honoring the Black lives that were lost in 2020.
Protesters march along Firestone Blvd in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, honoring the Black lives that were lost in 2020.
Clarissa Arceo

33 days of protest for Frederick Holder

The family of 28-year-old Frederick Holder, who was shot and killed by LASD officers last year, is protesting outside of the Norwalk Sheriff’s Station for 33 consecutive days in accordance with the 33 bullets that were shot at him.

In efforts of demanding accountability and transparency for the tragic death, Holder’s family is staging a protest outside of the Station, 12335 Civic Center Dr, every day at 3 p.m. from Feb. 4 – March 8.

Outside of the station, the crowd gathers daily holding and waving signs, chanting and prompting bypassers to honk their horns in solidarity with the activists.

The Holder family sent a letter to Norwalk sheriff Alex Villanueva requesting a meeting, audio and video footage of the shooting, an update on body-worn cameras by Norwalk police officers, and the employment status of his murderers.

 

Holder’s family shared that sheriff Villanueva has refused to meet with them for the past nine months and recently stated that he believes most police shootings are justified.

None of the officers who murdered Holder were wearing body cameras. Car dash camera footage was released only after claims were made that there was no footage of the encounter with no evidence showing that Holder was armed.

“Fred would do everything he could to see a smile on your face before you left his presence,” Hali Holder, Frederick’s younger sister, said. She shares that he had a beautiful bond with his nieces and nephews and had just become a father.

Family members said that they will continue to protest and demand justice for their beloved family member who was wrongfully killed.

Frederick Holder was 28 years old when he was shot 33 times by Norwalk deputies. His family is protesting outside of the Norwalk Sheriff's station for 33 days in demanding justice. Courtesy of: The Holder family
Frederick Holder was 28 years old when he was shot 33 times by Norwalk deputies. His family is protesting outside of the Norwalk Sheriff’s station for 33 days in demanding justice.
Courtesy of: The Holder family

On June 23, 2021, just after 9:50 a.m., a LAPD helicopter was called to monitor a reckless driver traveling on Studebaker Road and Rosecrans Avenue.

Norwalk Station deputies then chased Holder, who was driving a utility box truck, southbound on the 605 freeway in pursuit of stopping him.

The helicopter operators stated that the truck was ‘not wanted’ for anything but would still follow the truck in the air.

Holder was soon stopped at a red light during heavy traffic and surrounded by four sheriff deputies’ vehicles drawing their guns.

When the sheriff’s approached his door, they were prompted to open fire at the man after he was holding what they believed to be a firearm [which was later said to be a lighter].

Deputies Jackie Rojas, Javier Fierros and Christopher Conger- who are still employed at the LASD- fired 33 bullets at Holder where 17 of them reached and killed him.

“Regardless of what my son did, he did not deserve to be shot at 33 times,” April Holder, Frederick’s mother, said at one of the protests.

An Instagram account dedicated to demanding justice for the family, @justice4fredh, actively shares updates and photos of Frederick. Check their profile for more information and to stay updated on Holder’s case.

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About the Contributor
Clarissa Arceo
Clarissa Arceo, Community Editor
Clarissa Arceo is Community Editor for Talon Marks covering community news, Life, and arts & entertainment. She is a Journalism major transferring to a 4-year university in the Fall. Aside from reporting, Arceo enjoys photographing community events, reading contemporary romance and psychological fiction novels, and taking trips to the beach.  
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