Scott Olsen Press Conference Announces $4.5 M Settlement with Oakland for 2011 Shooting: video

On the evening of October 25, 2011, after the Oakland police department's pre-dawn raid on the Occupy Oakland encampment at Oscar Grant plaza and an afternoon rally and march with thousands of people protesting the raid, Oakland police released an insane amount of tear gas and flashbang grenades on the crowd at 14th and Broadway. Shortly after the massive attack began on the crowd in the intersection, an officer from OPD's Tango Team fired a bean bag round from a shotgun directly at Scott Olsen's face at close range. Scott instantly fell to the ground. Police have denied seeing him fall even though he was right in front of them. As other demonstrators and citizen medics gathered around Scott at the time, since he was semi-conscious and obviously needed assistance, Oakland police officer Robert Roche threw a flashbang teargas grenade at the group trying to help him. The injury to Scott's forehead was devastating and resulted in serious brain damage. Over two years later, Roche has been fired (he's currently appealing) but no other Oakland officer has been held accountable and District Attorney Nancy O'Malley has refused to pursue charges against any officers for the near-deadly assault. On March 21, however, Scott, National Lawyers Guild attorney Rachel Lederman, and civil rights attorney Jim Chanin announced a financial settlement with the City of Oakland for $4.5 million dollars. The press conference was held in front of City Hall, at the edge of Oscar Grant plaza, and within site of the spot where Scott was shot in the head in 2011. (Full press conference video below.)