SOUTHAVEN, Miss. — The family of a man shot and killed by Southaven Police called for justice at a vigil Friday.
Ismael Lopez was mistakenly shot by officers at his home, according to Southaven Police.
Southaven police said they were searching for a domestic violence suspect but ended up at the wrong house.
►Related: Attorneys say Southaven police fired through front door and killed Southaven man
They say they shot Lopez because they thought he had a gun.
Lopez’s family held the vigil tonight at Jim Saucier park across from the Southaven Police Department.
“It’s not only our duty but our obligation to be standing up for injustice,” Jose Salazar said.
Holding signs and standing together, friends and family gather with the greater community in memory of Ismael Lopez\ and in support of his family.
“I want to encourage you to keep helping out the wife of Ismael. Don’t leave her alone,” Salazar said.
Music and dancing commemorated the life of the father and loving husband to Claudia. She spoke publicly for the first time since Southaven Police said they shot her husband through a door when they went to the wrong home to serve a warrant.
“I want to ask for your support for justice. It’s very hard to come home,” Claudia Lopez said.
So far, the department has defended its actions; they said officers thought Lopez had a gun. Family attorneys said they were considering a civil rights lawsuit.
“We haven’t heard a thing,” attorney Murray Wells said. “We’ve been asking now for literally a month for any information, anything to give the family, comfort, support, an explanation or apology.”
And while they joined in a moment of silence for Lopez, they said the incident was a sign of a greater problem.
“A lot of the community is frustrated and scared at the same time, thinking LE is going to conduct itself lawlessly and they’re persecuting them just for being Hispanic, just for being Latino,” said Pastor Rolando Rostro with Iglesia Nueva Vida.