Open Vallejo has identified the officers in Vallejo’s first fatal police shooting in more than six years as Sgt. Matthew Komoda and Officer Himanshu Saini.

Vallejo officers in fatal July 20 shooting identified

Open Vallejo has identified the officers in Vallejo's first fatal police shooting in more than six years as Sgt. Matthew Komoda and Officer Himanshu Saini.

openvallejo.org

For a generation, a secretive clique within the Vallejo Police Department has commemorated fatal shootings with beers, backyard barbecues, and by bending the points of their badges each time they kill in the line of duty, an investigation by Open Vallejo has found.

Vallejo police bend badges to mark fatal shootings

The tradition is known at the highest levels of Vallejo city government and to Solano County's district attorney, sources say.

openvallejo.org

Ordered disclosed after a years-long legal fight, the report is the city’s own investigation into a tradition in which Vallejo police bent their badges to mark the civilians they killed. The report's release comes six years after Open Vallejo first exposed the macabre ritual.

Vallejo has released its long-secret police badge-bending report. Read it here.

Ordered disclosed after a years-long legal fight, the report is the city’s own investigation into a ritual in which Vallejo police bent their badges to mark the civilians they killed.

openvallejo.org

Solano County prosecutors have filed dozens of charges against a former Kaiser employee accused of secretly recording more than 30 people over a period of years.

Former Kaiser worker charged in Vallejo hidden camera case

Prosecutors accuse Randolph Villacrusis, a former Kaiser employee, of secretly recording more than 30 people over a period of years.

openvallejo.org

After Open Vallejo revealed that Vallejo officers bent their badges to mark fatal shootings, Fairfield police pledged to investigate “immediately.” Instead, the agency took more than a year to investigate a former Vallejo officer in its ranks — and only began after he retired.

Fairfield cleared badge-bending officer of wrongdoing, records show

After Open Vallejo revealed that Vallejo officers bent their badges to mark fatal shootings, Fairfield police pledged to investigate “immediately.” Instead, the agency took more than a year to investi...

openvallejo.org

The announcement comes just one day after Andrew Murray’s latest performance review in a closed session of the Vallejo City Council.

Vallejo city manager steps down after less than two years

Murray, who started as city manager in May 2024 as the city navigated a state-imposed police reform effort, said in a statement that it was “the right time to make a transition.”

openvallejo.org

A UC Berkeley grad vanished for two years after leaving his life behind to join the Zizians, a cult-like group now allegedly linked to six deaths nationwide. His parents believed he had been brainwashed. He posted $15,000 and left a Maryland jail on Friday.

Berkeley man, missing for two years, ‘left everything behind’ to join Zizians

“He’s not a violent person,” Daniel Blank's father, Alexander Blank, said. “I don’t think that Daniel actually did anything really wrong except maybe being with the wrong people.”

openvallejo.org

The California State Bar has opened a confidential inquiry into the Vallejo City Attorney’s Office, Open Vallejo has learned, adding a new front in the mounting scrutiny of the office. City Attorney Veronica Nebb wrote in an email Friday that her office is unaware of any investigation.

State Bar probes Vallejo City Attorney’s Office

The California State Bar has opened a confidential inquiry into the Vallejo City Attorney’s Office, Open Vallejo has learned.

openvallejo.org

When officials rush to comment on police shootings before the facts are in, they risk corrupting investigations and eroding public confidence in law enforcement, according to experts.

Vallejo officials’ online comments cloud police shooting review

The comments, about the shooting of a man suffering a mental health crisis, included praise for officers’ marksmanship and a determination that they had “no choice” but to shoot him in the back. A nat...

openvallejo.org

How should courts evaluate police shootings when someone tries to drive away? A unanimous Supreme Court ruled last May that courts must consider the totality of the circumstances — not just the moment before an officer pulls the trigger. #Minneapolis

U.S. Supreme Court rejects ‘moment of threat’ rule in police shootings

A unanimous U.S. Supreme Court shifted a contentious legal standard in favor of civil rights plaintiffs Thursday.

openvallejo.org

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Open Vallejo@openvallejo.org · 10mo ago

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Open Vallejo@openvallejo.org · 10mo ago

Open Vallejo is the city's only nonprofit, investigative newsroom. With a little over 48 hours to go in #NewsMatch, we are 80% of the way to our $30,000 fundraising goal. Will you help us close the gap with a tax-deductible gift? openvallejo.org/donate

Open Vallejo is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that gets impactful journalism done all year long. I support them out of my own pocket and I urge you to do the same.

Open Vallejo@openvallejo.org · 10mo ago

Open Vallejo is the city's only nonprofit, investigative newsroom. With a little over 48 hours to go in #NewsMatch, we are 80% of the way to our $30,000 fundraising goal. Will you help us close the gap with a tax-deductible gift? openvallejo.org/donate

Please support local journalism. Open Vallejo has done incredible work!!

Open Vallejo@openvallejo.org · 10mo ago

Open Vallejo is the city's only nonprofit, investigative newsroom. With a little over 48 hours to go in #NewsMatch, we are 80% of the way to our $30,000 fundraising goal. Will you help us close the gap with a tax-deductible gift? openvallejo.org/donate

Open Vallejo is the city's only nonprofit, investigative newsroom. With a little over 48 hours to go in #NewsMatch, we are 80% of the way to our $30,000 fundraising goal. Will you help us close the gap with a tax-deductible gift? openvallejo.org/donate

We’re almost halfway to our $30K goal — and the finish line is just eight days away. If you value Open Vallejo’s unique, high-quality accountability reporting, donate today to help us thrive in the new year. #NewsMatch will double your tax-deductible gift!

Donate to Open Vallejo

Support award-winning, nonprofit investigative reporting in Vallejo, a city long burdened by police brutality, corruption, and neglect.

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Open Vallejo is the city's only nonprofit newsroom. Our high-quality investigative reporting is 100% reader supported, meaning we publish information that serves the public, not advertisers or political interests. Donate today, and your tax-deductible gift will be matched up to $1,000.

Donate to Open Vallejo

Support award-winning, nonprofit investigative reporting in Vallejo, a city long burdened by police brutality, corruption, and neglect.

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It’s #GivingNewsDay at Open Vallejo. For five years, we’ve provided Solano County with meticulous accountability reporting on public safety, government, and more as the region’s only nonprofit investigative newsroom. NewsMatch will match your tax-deductible gift up to $1,000: openvallejo.org/donate

In a newly released deposition, former Vallejo Police Chief Shawny Williams said he resigned after the city failed to investigate a series of anonymous threats against him and alleged that the Vallejo City Attorney’s Office tried to intimidate him over his testimony.

Former Vallejo police chief says city ignored threats

Former Vallejo Police Chief Shawny Williams resigned after receiving a series of anonymous threats, according to newly-released deposition testimony. He is the latest in a string of former city offici...

openvallejo.org

EXCLUSIVE: The Solano County District Attorney's Office wants to shield video of the most recent Vallejo police shooting from public view, despite a state law mandating its release. Open Vallejo has obtained the unredacted recordings. Watch the video here.

Vallejo police shot a man amid a mental health crisis. Here is the footage the DA refuses to release.

The Solano County District Attorney's Office wants to shield video of the most recent Vallejo police shooting from public view, despite a state law mandating its release. Open Vallejo has obtained the...

openvallejo.org

Today and every day, our nonprofit newsroom is ready to cover the stories that need to be told. If you value our local investigative reporting, will you contribute to Open Vallejo during our #NewsMatch campaign? Your gift will be matched up to $1,000! Thank you! Donate here: openvallejo.org/donate

Donate to Open Vallejo

Support award-winning, nonprofit investigative reporting in Vallejo, a city long burdened by police brutality, corruption, and neglect.

openvallejo.org

EXCLUSIVE: The Solano County District Attorney's Office wants to shield video of the most recent Vallejo police shooting from public view, despite a state law mandating its release. Open Vallejo has obtained the unredacted recordings. Watch the video here.

Vallejo police shot a man amid a mental health crisis. Here is the footage the DA refuses to release.

The Solano County District Attorney's Office wants to shield video of the most recent Vallejo police shooting from public view, despite a state law mandating its release. Open Vallejo has obtained the...

openvallejo.org

Open Vallejo has compiled a shareable list of places to get free groceries in Vallejo. The federal government will fund only partial food stamp benefits this month, the Trump administration said in court filings Monday. See the list: openvallejo.org/2025/10/31/w...

Today kicks off our #NewsMatch campaign! There’s never been a more critical time to stand up for nonprofit newsrooms like ours. Through 12/31, the impact of your tax-deductible donation is DOUBLED! Will you show your support today?

Donate to Open Vallejo

Support award-winning, nonprofit investigative reporting in Vallejo, a city long burdened by police brutality, corruption, and neglect.

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Local nutrition assistance organizations have already seen an increase in need, and are preparing for more amid a potential cutoff of food aid on Saturday. Here is where to find free groceries, how Solano County's efforts compare to those of its neighbors, and how to help.

Where Vallejo finds free groceries amid federal shutdown

Local organizations have already seen an increase in need, and are preparing for more amid a potential cutoff of food aid.

openvallejo.org

Vallejo immigrant rights groups braced for raids as warning flyers appeared downtown on Friday. By this afternoon, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee announced that federal authorities had canceled sweeping plans for operations across the greater Bay Area.

Bay Area immigration surge called off, officials say

Organizations serving Vallejo immigrant communities braced for federal agents to flood the Bay Area this week, as flyers warning of expected immigration raids appeared on buildings downtown. But on Fr...

openvallejo.org

Vallejo Police Department Critical Incident Review Board member Phillip Balbuena resigned one day after Open Vallejo reported on his online comments and those of another commissioner, which experts said threatened the integrity of the oversight process.

Vallejo police oversight official resigns over online posts

Phillip Balbuena, who served as a member of the Vallejo Police Department’s Critical Incident Review Board, stepped down on Sept. 30, one day after Open Vallejo reported on his online commentary and t...

openvallejo.org

Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, blocked the administration’s attempt to sidestep an earlier order finding protests in Oregon were “not significantly violent or disruptive” enough to justify federalizing the Oregon National Guard.

Federal judge blocks deployment of California Guard to Portland

Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee, blocked the administration’s attempt to sidestep an earlier order finding protests in Oregon were “not significantly violent or disruptive” enough to justify f...

openvallejo.org

Solano County will pay $17 million to resolve a “historic” civil rights lawsuit involving the sheriff’s office, as supervisors approve an $11.2 million contract to deploy deputies in Vallejo.

Amid $17 million settlement, sheriff to expand Vallejo patrols

Solano County will pay $17 million to resolve a “historic” civil rights lawsuit, as supervisors approve an $11.2 million contract to deploy sheriff’s deputies in Vallejo.

openvallejo.org

The comments, about the shooting of a man suffering a mental health crisis in the back, included praise for officers’ marksmanship. A national use-of-force expert called the commentary “wildly inappropriate,” while Vallejo’s mayor called for one official’s “immediate removal” from the investigation.

Vallejo officials’ online comments cloud police shooting review

The comments, about the shooting of a man suffering a mental health crisis, included praise for officers’ marksmanship and a determination that they had “no choice” but to shoot him in the back. A nat...

openvallejo.org