Wilmington council withdraws police rifle funding after public outcry over recent shooting
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Summary
The council pulled a consent item to fund a transition from shotguns to rifles for the Wilmington Police Department after public commenters and several council members said the request was poorly timed amid an active investigation into a police-involved shooting. Public commenter Joel Barrio urged the council to delay any purchase until more information is released.
The Wilmington City Council withdrew a consent agenda item that would have authorized city funding for the Wilmington Police Department to transition from shotguns to rifles, following public concern and council discussion.
Mayor Bill Saffo pulled the item (C4) from the consent agenda at the start of the meeting. Public commenter Joel Barrio told the council the $250,000 request to upgrade weaponry was “the wrong time” while the community is grieving a recent shooting and an investigation is ongoing, and asked the council to wait for additional evidence including body-camera footage and a list of officer names. Barrio said, “This is a tragedy. Let's not make it worse.” (Joel Barrio, public commenter.)
Several council members agreed the timing was inappropriate. Councilmember Clinton Quintana said he understood Chief Zunema’s rationale but “it wasn't the time,” and thanked residents who attended and spoke. The mayor withdrew the consent item and the motion to remove C4 from consent carried without opposition.
The council did not take a substantive vote to approve or deny the underlying equipment purchase at the meeting; the item was removed from the consent agenda for further consideration. The council moved forward with the remainder of the consent agenda items.
What happens next: The withdrawal means the funding request will not be approved as part of tonight’s consent agenda; the council did not adopt the purchase authorization during the public session and gave no timetable for when the matter will next appear on the agenda.
