July 11 rally planned for Brandon Rodriguez

Tammy Hegi, the mother of Brandon Rodriguez, the 23-year-old man who was killed during an altercation with police July 10, 2008, in Hastings, is organizing a memorial rally and protest to mark the one-year anniversary of her son’s death.

Hegi said she doesn’t think it’s right that the three Hastings police officers and one Dakota County Sheriff’s deputy involved in her son’s death received medals of honor from the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association for their actions that night.

A Dakota County grand jury investigation found the officers were justified in shooting Rodriguez, but Hegi said she feels the officers acted too quickly in shooting her son, and said they were warned he was suicidal.

Hegi has started an online petition to have the medals taken away from the officers. The petition can be found at www.thepetition site.com/107/justice-for-brandon-rodriguez.

Hegi is working with an organization called Communities United Against Police Brutality to put on a protest and memorial rally that will be held at 4 p.m., Saturday, July 11, at Wilson Park on West Fourth and Eddy streets.

There will be copies of the petition at the rally for people to sign.

Hegi said trying to deal with the loss of her son over the past year hasn’t been easy.

“Every day is rough,” she said. “Every day I have visions of that night. I still cry.”

Tags: local news, brandon rodriguez, news