Dozens of farmworkers and Southwest Florida allies mark one year since Nicolas Morales was shot to death by a Collier County Sheriff’s deputy with vigil outside Collier County Sheriff’s office in Naples demanding justice for Nicolas, accountability for officers responsible for his brutal killing, mauling…

Nicolas Morales, Jr., 13: “In my opinion there should have been a conversation, not weapons, the officers could have tried to talk to my dad maybe with a therapist there or, at least an officer that knows how to manage with that type of situation. I wish every single day that my dad was alive. I am never going to forget all the memories we made but he is gone away too soon, and I won’t make anymore memories.”

Giselle Ramirez-Garcia, FGCU Student/Farmworker Alliance: “This tragedy has revealed to everyone why we, the community of Immokalee, have so much distrust of those who are supposed to serve and protect us. Sadly Nicolas isn’t the first case of police brutality in Immokalee, and if nothing is done soon, it won’t be the last. The children of Immokalee deserve a home where they can rest assured that calling 911 won’t kill their parents and leave them orphaned, the children of Immokalee should feel safe when officers arrive at the scene, the people of Immokalee deserve to have their lives treated with dignity and respect.”

This past Friday, September 17th, marked one year since Nicolas Morales, single father and longtime farmworker, was shot to death by Collier County Sheriff’s Deputy Pierre Jean and mauled by a police K-9 as he lay dying in the streets of Immokalee’s Farmworker Village neighborhood, his death a senseless and avoidable tragedy caused by the lack of effective training and understanding on the part of the officers of the needs of people experiencing a mental health crisis.

To honor Nicolas, to give voice to his orphaned son Nicolas Morales Jr, 13, and his family, and to demand that never again should anyone in Collier County be killed by the police when all they need is help and support, dozens of farmworkers from Immokalee and their allies from around Southwest Florida gathered in Naples outside the Collier County Sheriff’s office on Friday afternoon calling for justice for Nicolas, accountability for the officers who killed him, and simple, common sense reforms from the Sheriff’s office who failed a much-loved single father in his time of need, and whose stubborn inaction continues to threaten the lives of his hardworking community.

We have some pictures and words to share with you today from Friday’s vigil and petition delivery that capture the power of the protest and the conviction of those who were there to demand justice. We also have the text of a second letter, included at the bottom of today’s post on CIW's website, from Nicolas Morales, Jr., who is in Texas with his sister and couldn’t be at the rally, but wanted his voice to be heard by Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk and all those gathered on Friday in his father’s name.

See the photo report and letter from Nicolas, Jr.