About 200 people turned out for a Saturday night vigil for Anthony Banta, the 22-year-old man who was fatally shot early Thursday morning by Walnut Creek police.
Friends, family and co-workers participated in an hour-long candlelight memorial at the Newell Avenue facility where Banta worked as a haidresser.
Mourners also wrote personal remembrances on a large card with Banta's picture inside the salon.
Michael Falcon, co-owner of the salon, said the purpose of the vigil was to provide comfort and solace for those who knew Banta.
"It's an opportunity for the community to get a glimpse of Anthony and how much he inspired us," said Falcon.
Banta was shot to death by police officers who responded to a 9-1-1 call at 3:13 a.m. Thursday about a disturbance at an apartment on Creekside Drive in Walnut Creek.
Police administrators have said the officers were concerned for their safety when they entered the apartment, but family members have said Banta was armed with only a knife and police did not need to use lethal force.
In this situation, you have a SMALL young man who probably pales in comparison to the size of the Police Officers. Remember there were two highly trained men against one hair dressers who didn't even have a criminal record; it's an obvious display of using too much force in this particular situation. If Banta had been subdued by alternative means, any judge would have given him Probation and without Jail time due to his mental state before the shooting. Perhaps it's time to train officers with some form of Martial Arts Self Defense Tactics which could have easily disarmed Anthony. Normally, I side with Law Enforcement but, I don't in this situation because they could have easily Tased Banta. Shame on WCPD.