Let Us Breathe. Say Their Names. (Part 1)
“[The police] are a very real menace to every black cat alive in this country. And no matter how many people say, ‘You’re being paranoid when you talk about police brutality’ — I know what I’m talking about . . . It could happen to my mother in the morning, to my sister, to my brother… For me this has always been a violent country — it has never been a democracy.” — James Baldwin, 1969
I remember hearing about the story of James Byrd Jr. being lynched in Texas, on the brink of my adulthood in ‘98. I was a world away from Texas in the Great White North. The deep sadness and concern on my Dad’s face, and the silence in the living room where we watched the story unfold on TV are etched into my memory. How was this happening in my lifetime? Would people like me ever feel free and safe?
Fast forward to 2021.
What started out as a Twitter thread on racial profiling and police brutality turned into a project that seemed too large for the bird app, so I set out to do an extended version here. Initially, my goal was to research the lives of some of the Black men, women, and children who had been killed on account of police brutality and excessive force. I wanted to #saytheirnames. It was the least I could do. It was only after beginning this project to honor and say the names of these victims that I realized I had taken on a monumental task. There were too many names to compile, and in some cases, not enough information at all — not even names, let alone faces. For reference, in LA county alone almost one thousand people have been killed by police since 2000 (Black men make up less than 10% of the population in LA county but account for 25% of police killings there). This project was too large and too overwhelming. I broke down several times and questioned whether I could finish or whether it was really worth it. With each story I felt a greater sense of loss and sadness. There was no way I would be able to say all their names.
There are databases keeping track of police brutality, so this exercise of mine is not new or exhaustive. My goal in the end was very simple: say their names. The problem was for every name I researched, I’d find a handful more. This quest was like a modern-day hydra of Lerna. One name recorded, another two victims of police brutality popped up in his place. It wasn’t that the work was too great, it was the overwhelming sense of loss at reading about these fathers, sons, brothers, friends that made this project so painful. Seeing these Black men and boys’ faces brought them into my living room. These were real people.
For this assignment, I had to figure out how to honor these Black victims of white supremacy and police brutality but I needed a start date. If we are paying attention to history, the start date for white supremacist brutality against Black people in the US began in 1619. This is not to erase the historic brutality against Indigenous peoples of the Americas who have faced brutality and erasure with horrifying force. In fact, police brutality against Indigenous people in Canada, the US, Australia, in South America and China is worth reflecting on. See here, here, here, here, here, and here for more information. In the end, as I worked to streamline my research, the point became clear that this was not a question of narrowing my focus, but more importantly a question of when will police brutality stop?
The tragedy of police brutality is that it doesn’t just fester within the police community, it’s like a virus. We all can understand the rhetoric around pandemics now, and this is true of how police brutality has been normalized in the international psyche. This widespread problem in policing is met with shocking approval rather than explicit condemnation. The thirst to justify public executions of Black men, women, and children is met with the clamoring stock response to simply “comply.”
Condoning police brutality has infected the general population in ways that have made us less “civilized” than people would like to admit. As a medieval historian, I know that executions were undertaken after a trial. Hundreds if not thousands of Black men, women, and children are not even given any day in court (provided court is even necessary in the first place). Police have committed themselves to being judge, jury, and executioner in a matter of seconds or in one notorious case 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Running from a police officer out of fear is not a reason to be executed. Again, our connection as humans — our humanity — is cloaked in white supremacist doublespeak when we allow ourselves to see Black lives as less than a non-Black life. One cannot consider themselves ‘pro-life’ if they do not consider the lives of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) as valuable as their own. At what point do we stop condoning public executions of Black and brown people for walking, running, singing, riding a bike, sitting, eating ice cream, etc.? Being compliant is not the issue though. At the heart of this racial profiling and violence against Black and brown people is deep-seated anti-Blackness. See also here and here.
As a historian of color I am often confronted with emboldened white supremacists who claim that ‘their culture’ created what we know as “western civilization.” They are enamoured by a white-washed sense of history that never was, and that frames the ignorance of their inaccurate claims. By what definition is a public execution of a young Black man singing and dancing on a sidewalk civilized? Is driving home with a birthday cake for your daughter and being executed in cold blood “civilized”?
Why should we say their names? These Black men, women, and children were people. Above everything else, they were humans — this is a point that many have lost sight of. Before we get into the whataboutisms, ultimately we must remind ourselves that every life is precious. This is a truth that does not sit well with racists. The lives of these Black men and boys were precious too. We are inundated with names and faces of Black and brown victims of police brutality that it’s easy to lose sight of these victims and see them as individuals. To #saytheirname is to honor their individual selves and legacies. Our judgements of people tends to strip each other of humanity, so saying their names is to remind ourselves that these people were their own selves and beings. Calling aloud their names (even silently) is to recognize their right to live and be remembered and to recognize Black lives matter.
We have been saturated with images of Black men and boys depicted as scary “thugs”. Demonization and vilification of Black victims is not new. It was interesting to see how reporting (in some instances) has changed over the years. Seemingly “menacing” pictures of Black men and boys is not as prolific in some media outlets, thanks to call outs by activists and people in the BIPOC community. This highlights why organizing and solidarity matters.
Below I feature Black boys and men in the US from 2011–2021 whose stories and images I could find (125 names and faces). Some of the older stories are still in appeals courts as families await justice — a demonstration of how long some families must wait with the hope of receiving some justice. As I’ve mentioned, this is by no means a comprehensive list.
Rather, this is a small exercise highlighting 125 Black men and boys that we can remember and honor wherever we are, when we can — an act that costs us nothing but means everything.
Evidence of systemic racism is overwhelming and not just a problem in the US. This is true of Canada, Australia, the UK , Ireland, and beyond. Racism is a world wide pandemic, and this does not even touch on the Indigenous communities who are targeted in similar ways across the globe. Our world is in a sick state, what are we doing to make it healthier?
There were lots of things I learned in this exercise, perhaps I might be able to put them down at some point but for now, let’s just take this opportunity to recognize these men and boys and say their names.
*In doing this project, I realized I needed a separate list for Black women and girls. They deserve their own list and some thoughts on intersectionality. I did not want them to be lost in the list of Black men and boys who we are honoring here. #Sayhername is equally important and will be my next project.
Things to reflect on as you go through the names:
- Think of racial profiling.
- Think of these victims’ families and their loss.
- Think of those who you’ve already outlived.
- Think of mental illness and how it is systematically under-supported in Black and brown communities.
- Think of these men and boys as sons, brothers, friends, husbands, partners, fathers, grandfathers. Their lives matter.
Things to do:
- Work towards changing the system in whatever capacity you can.
- Speak out about police brutality. Organize. Write. Walk.
Take a breath. Now, say their names :
Anthony Lamar Smith, age 24, died Dec. 20, 2011. Say his name.
Anthony was fatally shot after a car chase. The cop’s acquittal in ’17 sparked protests. His daughter has advocated for more police transparency.
Ramarley Graham, age 18, died Feb. 3, 2012. Say his name.
Unarmed, standing in his grandmother’s bathroom, allegedly flushing weed down the toilet. Ramarley was fatally shot without warning after being racially profiled and followed to his grandmother’s house. His shooting took place in front of his brother & grandma. He was unarmed. His family settled in court in ’15.
Manuel Loggins Jr., age 31, died Feb. 7, 2012. Say his name.
Was experiencing a mental health crisis and crashed into a gate at his eldest daughter’s high school. His daughters (aged 9 and 14) were unharmed but in the vehicle with him. Cops told Manuel to exit his car. He complied & walked to a field where he was heard yelling. Although unarmed and not resisting, he was fatally shot. His family was awarded a settlement.
Trayvon Martin, age 17, died Feb. 26, 2012. Say his name.
Racially profiled while walking home from 7/11 with skittles & Arizona Watermelon Fruit Juice Cocktail. Cops protected the murderer and he was never held accountable for racially profiling and murdering an unarmed Black boy. #justicefortrayvon
Wendall James Allen, age 20, March 7, 2012. Say his name.
Wendall was resting in his bedroom when he was awaked by the front door being broken. He ran downstairs to see what was going on, in only his jeans & sneakers. He was fatally shot on the stairs as the police conducted a raid of his family’s home. He was unarmed.
Kendrec McDade, age 19, died Mar. 24, 2012. Say his name.
An individual lied & told the cops a thief had pulled a gun on him. Cops responded to the false report & targeted Kendrec, who was in the area. He was unarmed , but was fatally shot. Afterwards, police neglected to do proper administrative interviews, so nine years on, Kendrec’s Mom is still seeking answers.
Terrance Franklin, age 22, died May 10, 2013. Say his name.
Terrance was profiled and ran from the cops. Eventually 5 police cornered him in his basement. He surrendered and had his hands up, but they fatally shot him. Terrance was unarmed. The evidence and uncoordinated testimonies of the cops pointed to a coverup. Terrance’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit which was settled in 2020.
Larry Jackson Jr., age 32, died July 26, 2013. Say his name.
Being interrogated at a bank for alleged robbery, Larry panicked & fled. Cops commandeered a woman’s car and chased Larry who was on foot. A cop claimed he “accidentally” shot Larry. Larry’s family filed a lawsuit and settled in court.
Jonathan Ferrell, age 24, died Sept. 14, 2013. Say his name.
Driving a co-worker home, Jonathan was in an accident. Since there were no witnesses, he wanted to report the crash, so he knocked on a door of a resident’s home to get help. The house-owner called cops, who treated Jonathan as a threat. They tased him & missed, so fatally shot him. He was shot 12 times.
Gregory Hill Jr., age 30, died Jan. 14, 2014. Say his name.
A noise complaint from neighbors prompted a call to police. Police showed up at Gregory’s garage, where he had the garage door open. Within seconds he was fatally shot in the head. His family’s wrongful death suit awarded them an insulting $4. They have been granted an appeal.
Jordan Baker, age 26, died Jan. 16, 2014. Say his name.
Jordan was out riding his bike in a mall near his home. He was unarmed & not breaking any rules but was racially profiled by an off-duty cop. Jordan’s family settled a lawsuit with the city in 2020.
Victor White III, age 22, died March 3, 2014. Say his name.
Victor was handcuffed and in the back of a cop car. Police initially reported he shot himself in the back until evidence released 6 months later proved he was shot in the front. His family settled a lawsuit in 2020.
James Boyd, age 38, died March 16, 2014. Say his name.
James was mentally ill & camping on a mountain close to houses. A resident called the cops to complain about the tent. James was upset at the raid & produced 2 pocket knives, but eventually agreed to leave. He cleaned up his belongings and started to descend the mountain. Police tased him and a police dog was released to attack him. Responding to this attack, he was enraged. The police shot and killed him.
Dontre Hamilton, age 31, died April 30, 2014. Say his name.
Suffering from mental illness, Dontre was asleep on a bench in a park when the cops approached him. He was awoken and startled. A confrontation ensued and cops fatally shot him with fourteen bullets.
Jason Harrison, age 38, died June 14, 2014. Say his name.
Diagnosed with schizophrenia, Jason was having a mental health crisis & holding a screwdriver at his home. His Mom called 911 concerned for his well-being, and explained that she wanted trained police who could deal with someone having a mental health crisis. Cops arrived and within minutes shot him five times.
Eric Garner, age 43, died July 17, 2014. Say his name.
On suspicion that Eric was selling cigarettes outside a store, cops were called. His response was that he was tired of being harassed & was not selling anything. After a scuffle that spilled out onto a street in front of a store, police tried to arrest him anyway. Eventually one cop pinned Eric down while holding him in a prohibited chokehold. Eric was unarmed and repeatedly told the police he could not breathe. He never regained consciousness.
John Crawford III, age 22, died Aug. 5, 2014. Say his name.
Shopping in Wal-Mart, John had a BB gun in his hand, as he was going to purchase it. Another customer called the cops saying a Black man was pointing a gun at customers. Camera footage proved that was a lie. Cops arrived and fatally shot John. His family settled in court.
Michael Brown, age 18, died Aug. 9, 2014. Say his name.
After leaving a convenience store, cops racially profiled Michael and confronted him in a car. Cops escalated the situation, shot him in the car & then he opened the door and fled on foot. After running down the road, Michael stopped & raised his hands but was fatally shot anyway.
Ezell Ford, age 25, died Aug. 11, 2014. Say his name.
Ezell was walking down a street when he was racially profiled by cops. No drugs or weapons were found. Startled, there was a scuffle. One cop drew a taser, the other fired his gun & fatally shot Ezell.
Dante Parker, age 36, died Aug. 12, 2014. Say his name.
Cops saw Dante riding a bike in an area where a house had been broken into. They arrested him for questioning. In custody he was tased and died.
Kajieme Powell, age 25, died Aug. 19, 2014. Say his name.
Suffering from a mental illness crisis, cops chose to fatally shoot Kajieme who they suspected of shoplifting at a convenience store close to where Michael Brown was killed only 10 days before.
Laquan McDonald, age 17, died Oct. 20, 2014. Say his name.
Laquan was having a mental health crisis and had been walking near cars on the road with a knife. Responding to reports, cops arrived. He did not move towards them, rather, he slowly, walked away. He was shot once where he spun and fell, but a cop stood over him and shot Laquan 16 more times in 14–15 secs.
Akai Gurley, age 28, died Nov. 20, 2014. Say his name.
On Thanksgiving, Akai and his girlfriend entered the stairwell to an apartment where they were going to settle down for the night. He was going to get his hair braided. The two were met by 2 cops patrolling stairwells. One cop had his weapon drawn and fired a shot which fatally wounded Akai.
Tamir Rice, age 12, died Nov. 22, 2014. Say his name.
Tamir was in a park, playing with a toy gun. Someone called the cops on him, claiming it was an adult with a gun. Tamir was a 12-yr-old boy, no taller or larger than the average boy. Cops arrived and opened fire on him within seconds of pulling up.
Rumain Brisbon, age 34, died Dec. 2, 2014. Say his name.
Someone called cops after a suspected drug deal in the neighborhood. After a short foot chase, a cop fatally shot Rumain. Cops alleged that he had a gun, but all he was holding was a pill bottle in his hand.
Jerame Reid, age 36, died Dec. 30, 2014. Say his name.
Jerame was pulled over for running through a stop sign. Two cops kept screaming at Jerame to quit searching his car while he insisted he wasn’t reaching for anything. He insisted he was complying and wanted to get out on the ground for them. A cop demanded he stay & both the cop and Jerame struggled with the door of his vehicle. He stopped and his hands were up, but the cop shot him anyway.
Lavall Hall, age 25, Feb. 15, 2015. Say his name.
Suffering from a mental illness crisis, Lavall barricaded himself inside his Mom’s home. She called the cops to escort him to a mental hospital. He fled the house, scuffled with the cops and they shot him.
Charley Keunang, age 43, died Mar.1, 2015. Say his name.
Homeless & living on Skidrow, Charley was ordered out of his tent when cops were called. There had been a conflict with someone else. A struggle ensued and 3 cops shot fatally him.
Tony Terrell Robinson Jr., age 19, died Mar. 6, 2015. Say his name.
Cops responded to calls from worried friends because Tony was acting erratically in the street. They feared for his well-being. Cops arrived, a struggle ensued & Tony was shot. He was unarmed. As he lay gasping for breath, he had his hand by his chest. Footage shows a cop over Tony, shooting him 3–4 more times.
Anthony Hill, age 26, died Mar. 9, 2015. Say his name.
A veteran, suffering from PTSD, Anthony had been diagnosed as bipolar. Having a mental health crisis at his apartment, he was naked & unarmed, acting erratic and knocking on doors in the building. A concerned woman called to get medical attention for him. Instead, cops arrived and one fatally shot Anthony.
Walter Lamar Scott, age 50, died April 4, 2015. Say his name.
Walter was racially profiled during a traffic stop for a non-functioning brake light. He was driving to the repair shop and had a passenger with him. After conversing with the cops, he exited his vehicle & fled. A cop tased him, so he kept running away (indicating explicitly there was no threat to the police officer), only to be shot in the back 5 times. His family settled a lawsuit in court.
Freddie Gray, age 25, died Apr. 19, 2015. Say his name.
On April 12th, bicycle cops prowling Freddie’s neighborhood made eye contact with him. Having had bad experiences with them, he ran from them and was chased. He was arrested for possession of a knife, beaten and witnesses described him being “folded” in half with a cop kneeling on his neck. Bystanders recorded cops kneeling on his spine while he screamed in pain. He could not walk on his own as he was loaded into the police van, and he yelled that he could not feel his legs. Paramedics were called after repeated stops by the cop van. Freddie was in a coma taken to the hospital by paramedics. Freddie had three fractured vertebrae, injuries to his voice box, and his spine 80% severed at his neck. Police confirmed that the spinal injury led to his death. He died a week after his arrest.
Brendon Glenn, age 29, died May 5, 2015. Say his name.
Brendon had recently moved to LA from NY for work. Homeless, out late, and intoxicated, he got into a scuffle with cops outside a bar. Resisting arrest but not armed or a threat, he was fatally shot. His family settled a lawsuit with the city.
Samuel DuBose, age 43, died July 19, 2015. Say his name.
During a traffic stop for a missing front license plate and a suspended license, a cop fatally shot Samuel. The cop reported that he feared for his life because he was going to be dragged away in the car. Cameras revealed that the cop had lied. The cop was put on trial and even with video evidence he was acquitted.
Christian Taylor, age 19, died Aug. 7, 2015. Say his name.
Christian was acting erratically, allegedly from synthetic drugs during a suspected burglary at a car dealership. There is footage of him jumping around before cops arrived. He was unarmed. Once cops arrived, one was readying his taser when another decided to shoot Christian instead.
Jamar Clark, age 24, died Nov. 15, 2015. Say his name.
At a birthday party, there was a scuffle between two people in which Jamar stepped in to stop the fight. Jamar & his girlfriend left & paramedics were called to their residence. Police also arrived and argued with Jamar. He was on the ground, arrested with a policeman’s knee on his chest where he was shot.
Mario Woods, age 26, died Dec. 2, 2015. Say his name.
Suspected of stabbing, Mario was up against a wall with four policemen formed a semi-circle around him. He refused to go with them, so the policemen opened fire and shot him 20 times. This use of excessive force prompted some police reforms in San Francisco.
Quintonio LeGrier, age 19, died Dec. 26, 2015. Say his name.
Experiencing a mental health crisis, Quintonio’s Dad called 911. Instead of de-escalating the situation, cops arrived & fatally shot him.
His mom settled a lawsuit with the city but the judgement was overturned 2 yrs later.
Gregory Gunn, age 58, died Feb. 25, 2016. Say his name.
Racially profiled in his neighborhood, Gregory was walking home after a card game. He was unarmed. Cops wanted to stop & frisk, so he fled. In pursuit they shot Gregory 7 times. His family settled in court in 2020.
Akiel Denkins, age 24, died Feb. 29, 2016. Say his name.
Allegedly fleeing from police trying to arrest him, Akiel hopped a fence and was pursued by cops. One cop apparently fell and opened fire, shooting Akiel in the back.
Alton Sterling, age 37, died July 5, 2016. Say his name.
Alton was allegedly selling CDs outside a convenience store. He was unarmed. Cops profiled him and were attempting to arrest him. In an attempt to “control Alton’s arms” a cop shot him. His family settled a wrongful death suit in 2021.
Philando Castile, age 32, died July 6, 2016. Say his name.
A passenger in his girlfriend’s (Diamond Reynolds) car, Philando and Diamond were pulled over for a “busted tail light.” He was asked for his ID. He told the cop that he also had a gun license (he lived in an open-carry state). The cop kept telling him not to reach for a gun, as Philando tried to reassure him that he was getting his ID as requested. The cop did not give Philando time to get his ID before fatally shooting him. Diamond was live-streaming with the hope that this wouldn’t end in a fatality. Her 4-yr-old daughter witnessed the Philando’s murder from the back seat.
Joseph Mann, age 51, died July 11, 2016. Say his name.
Mentally ill & homeless, Joseph was acting erratically. He had a knife in his hand but no gun. Cops’ dash cam audio recorded one cop saying “fuck this guy, I’m going to hit him.” The reply was “go for it.” They tried to hit him, they exited their vehicle and shot Joseph 14 times.
Paul O’Neal, age 18, died July 28, 2016. Say his name.
After a high speed chase, Paul fled. He was unarmed. He was fatally shot in the back. His death was ruled a homicide but no charges against the cops were filed.
Jamarion Rashad Robinson, age 26, died Aug. 5, 2016. Say his name.
Diagnosed with schizophrenia, Jamarion was having a mental health crisis. Police arrived and his mother told officers about his diagnosis. Although unarmed, he refused to leave his girlfriend’s apartment, so cops shot him 76 times. In a show of horrifying cruelty, after shooting Jamarion, the cops handcuffed his body and dragged him down the stairs.
Terrence Sterling, age 31, died Sept. 11, 2016. Say his name.
Seen driving a motorcycle, a cop alleged Terrence was driving erratically. Cops in DC are instructed not to pursue vehicles for traffic violations, but this cop proceeded to anyway. The cop cut his bodycam and Terrence was fatally shot.
Terence Crutcher, age 40, died Sept. 16, 2016. Say his name.
Stopped for a traffic violation, Terrence stood with his hands in the air outside his car. He was unarmed. A cop fatally shot him anyway.
Keith Lamont Scott, age 43, Sept. 20, 2016. Say his name.
In his car, reading a book in a shaded area of a parking lot, he was profiled by cops. He liked to wait in the car and read before picking up his child from school. Plain clothes cops allege that he was smoking weed. He had previously suffered brain damage in an accident, so it took time for him to process things. At the time he was shot and killed, he was outside his vehicle. His hands were at his side & he was facing away from cops.
Alfred Olango, age 38, died Sept. 27, 2016. Say his name.
Suffering from a mental health crisis after the death of his childhood friend (he was a former refugee from Uganda), emergency calls were made for psychiatric aid. Cops arrived, Alfred retreated to a corner out of fear. Police allege he drew an object, so they tased and shot him.
Jordan Edwards, age 15, April 29, 2017. Say his name.
After leaving a party, Jordan was a passenger in the front seat of a car in which his older brother was driving. Cops arrived & started firing at the attendees creating a panic. People started to run in the chaos. At the time of the shooting, Jordan had been sitting in the vehicle waiting to go home. He was shot in the back of the head when 3 rounds were fired into the parked car.
DeJuan Guillory, age 27, died July 6, 2017. Say his name.
Riding an ATV on a gravel road with his girlfriend (Dequince Brown), DeJuan was pulled over by a cop asking for ID. Cops were responding to a call for an ATV theft in the days prior. There was a scuffle, and Dejuan was fatally shot. Dequince tried to intervene and was later charged with attempted murder for trying to fend off the cop. Initially she fought the charges but the courts continued to pursue charges, so she eventually pled guilty.
Patrick Harmon, age 50, died Aug. 13, 2017. Say his name.
Riding his bicycle without “proper lighting,” Patrick was profiled by cops. He tried to flee when the cops discovered an outstanding warrant. Although he was in possession of a knife, he was running away when he was shot in the back. He was also tased after he was shot.
Kwame “KK” Jones, age 17, Jan. 5, 2018. Say his name.
Kwame was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped. An “exchange” ensued with one of the back-seat passengers and the cops. The cops ended up shooting and killing Kwame who was in the front passenger seat. He was unarmed. His mother was not immediately notified of his death by cops.
Stephon Clark, age 22, March 18, 2018. Say his name.
Cops had been called to investigate someone breaking car windows, and saw Stephon standing in a backyard. The cops screamed “gun” to which Stephon held out his hands. He was holding a phone in his grandma’s backyard. The cops fired 20 rounds, hitting him 8 times, mostly in the back. They waited another five minutes to approach his body. The cops initially said they thought he had a “tool bar” or a “concrete block” in his hand.
Danny Ray Thomas, age 34, died March 22, 2018. Say his name.
Having a mental health crisis, Danny was arguing on a street corner with another man. A cop pulled up and Danny (unarmed) shuffled towards the cop with his pants around his ankle. Within 30 secs of the cops arrival, Danny was fatally shot.
Grechario Tyzavian Mack, age 30, died, April 10, 2018. Say his name.
Having a mental health crisis, Grechario was waving a knife. After he was shot, he was still sitting up, so both cops shot him again.
Marcus-David Peters, age 24, died May 14, 2018. Say his name.
A devoted teacher, Marcus-David was experiencing a mental health crisis. After driving erratically he was in a car accident. Pursued by cops, he got out of his car naked and in distress. He was hit by a car but stood up, at which point a cop tased & shot him.
Maurice Granton Jr., age 24, died June 6, 2018. Say his name.
Racially profiled, cops chased Maurice. Cops shot him & refused to release footage saying he was armed. Once footage was released, it was found he was unarmed. His Dad is still waiting for answers as of 2021.
Robert Lawrence White, age 41, died June 11, 2018. Say his name.
Walking in a neighborhood (Robert went on treks as therapy after the death of his Dad in 2016), cops responded to an unrelated hang-up call. They encountered a “suspicious person” which they were actually just racially profiling. Robert was fatally shot, unarmed and simply walking as therapy.
Antwon Rose Jr., age 17, died June 19, 2018. Say his name.
Antwon was a passenger in a drive-by shooting. There was no gun residue on his hands. He was unarmed.
Markeis McGlockton, age 28, died July 19, 2018. Say his name.
Markeis’ girlfriend had parked in a disabled parking space without a placard. A white bystander took it upon himself to verbally assault him. Markeis got out of the car & was shot within 2 ½ secs.
Botham Shem Jean, age 26, died Sept. 6, 2018. Say his name.
Botham was eating ice cream in his apartment. A police officer stormed in and shot him pretending that was her apartment.
DeAndre Ballard, 23, died Sept. 17, 2018. Say his name.
Walking barefoot, in shorts and a tank top on campus, DeAndre was likely racially profiled and shot by an on-campus security guard. He was unarmed. DeAndre’s family is still waiting for answers.
Jemel Roberson, age 26, died Nov. 11, 2018. Say his name.
Working as a bodyguard, he was able to subdue and pin down a gunman who had shot four people. He kept the gunman pinned until cops arrived. Upon arrival, cops profiled him and fatally shot him instead.
Emantic Fitzgerald (EJ) Bradford Jr., age 21, died Nov. 22, 2018. Say his name.
Cops were called to a mall shooting & mistook EJ for the shooter. He was not involved but just happened to be near the crime scene. He had a legally owned weapon, but that made no difference.
Jonathan Hart, age 21, died, Dec. 2, 2018. Say his name.
Jonathan was homeless. Accused of shoplifting a $2.99 flavored water with a friend, a security guard confronted them. He was fatally shot. Eyewitnesses reported there was no shoplifting and security footage showed no evidence.
D’ettrick Griffin, age 18, died Jan. 15, 2019. Say his name.
There is conflicting info about an encounter at a gas station with a plain clothes officer who fatally shot D’ettrick. Most likely he was racially profiled and responded in a way that the plain clothes officer didn’t like. D’ettrick was unarmed. His family has filed a wrongful death suit.
Jimmy Atchison, age 21, died Jan. 23, 2019. Say his name.
With a warrant out for his arrest, Jimmy ran and hid from the FBI in a friend’s closet. Once he was found he had his hands up, but was shot in the face. His family is currently seeking justice in court.
Willie McCoy (Willie Bo), age 20, died Feb. 9, 2019. Say his name.
Willie was asleep in his car at a Taco Bell. Six cops approached his vehicle and fired 55 bullets in 3.5 seconds.
Miles Hall, age 23, died June 2, 2019. Say his name.
During a mental health crisis, Miles was in his yard. His Mom phoned the cops just to let them know he was not a threat (in case others called) and that he needed treatment. The cops showed up and shot him.
Ryan Twyman, age 24, died June 6, 2019. Say his name.
Racially profiled while sitting in his parked car. It took 2 officers 50 seconds to shoot him 34 times in his front seat.
JaQuavion Slaton, age 20, died June 9, 2019. Say his name.
Police had intented on arresting JaQuavion on account of an outstanding warrant. He ran from a car after a traffic stop & was shot 6 times by 3 cops.
Brandon Webber, age 20, died June 12, 2019. Say his name.
With outstanding warrants, Brandon tried to run away from cops when he encountered some. He was fatally shot 20 times in his grandmother’s yard. The family is in court over wrongful death.
Eric Logan, age 54, died June 16, 2019. Say his name.
Racially profiled and accused of stealing. Eric was shot by a cop who then proceeded to drive him to the hospital instead of immediately calling for medical attention. Eric died at the hospital.
Elijah Jovan McClain, age 23, died Aug. 30, 2019. Say his name.
On Aug. 24, he was most likely singing and dancing down a street (he was gifted musically). Someone called 911 misinterpreting his dancing as “flailing.” He often wore a ski mask because anemia made him cold, so he had a ski mask on. Cops arrived and handcuffed him. He sobbed, saying he couldn’t breathe. They threatened to have a dog bite him. One cop placed him in a chokehold. He was crying so hard he vomited and said he was sorry for whatever he did. He lost consciousness. He died 6 days later.
Christopher Whitfield, age 31, died Oct. 14, 2019. Say his name.
Christopher was struggling with mental health issues. Accused of stealing raw chicken from a store, he was fatally shot.
Ariane McCree, age 28, died Nov. 23, 2019. Say his name.
Suspected of shoplifting at Wal-Mart, he was handcuffed with his hands behind his back. He ran from cops when they shot at him. He was unarmed.
Michael Dean, age 28, died Dec. 2, 2019. Say his name.
Came to a rolling stop at a stop sign after buying a birthday cake for his daughter. Police began to chase. The cop approached Michael with a gun drawn. The cop allegedly tried to grab the keys from Michael’s car and fired off his gun, striking Michael in the head. Michael was unarmed.
Jamee Johnson, age 22 , Dec. 14, 2019. Say his name.
Driving without a seatbelt, cops pulled Jamee over. They detected the smell of weed. After a scuffle with the cops, he was shot. He said he was “ready to give up” and that he couldn’t breathe. He died in hospital.
Samuel David Mallard, age 19, Jan. 16, 2020. Say his name.
Out of fear of cops, Samuel eluded them in his vehicle. The cops blocked him, confronted him, gave verbal commands and shot him.
Darius Tarver, age 23, died Jan. 21, 2020. Say his name.
Darius had previously been involved in a near fatal collision and was prematurely released from ICU. His recent head injuries left him exhibiting signs of significant mental impairment. On the night he was fatally shot by police he had barricaded himself in his room and was talking to himself about God and light. His roommate dialled 911 out of concern for his well-being. He came out with a frying pan and knife. After not following commands, he was tased and shot.
William H. Green, age 43, died Jan. 27, 2020. Say his name.
Pulled over while driving after hitting several cars. He was handcuffed with his hands behind his back and sitting in the police car when he was shot 6 times. He was unarmed. His family filed a wrongful death suit and won.
Ahmaud Marquez Arbery, age 25, died Feb. 23, 2020. Say his name.
Jogging, Ahmaud was pursued by armed white men who racially profiled him. Enabled by the cops, the murderers (one being a former cop himself), stalked, harassed and shot him. Ahmaud was unarmed. As they stood over his body, the murderers screamed racial slurs at Ahmaud.
Manuel Ellis, age 33, died March 3, 2020. Say his name.
Walking home from church. He was unarmed. Racially profiled by cops, he was shot and killed.
Daniel Prude, age 41, died March 23, 2020. Say his name.
Daniel was having a psychotic episode. He was unarmed. His distraught brother called the cops who arrived and placed a mesh hood over Daniel’s head. They kept his head down on the pavement, he lost consciousness, and died. What emerged afterwards was an apparent cover-up surrounding his death.
Steven Demarco Taylor, age 33, died April 18, 2020. Say his name.
Accused of trying to steal from Wal-mart, he was racially profiled. Investigations after he was tased twice and shot proved that was all for nothing. Steven was unarmed and there was no evidence of theft.
Dreasjon “Sean” Reed, age 21, died May 6, 2020. Say his name.
Sean fled cops after driving erratically. Once he got out of his vehicle and began to run away he was tased and shot. A cop is caught on the recording saying “I think it’s going to be closed casket homie.”
McHale Rose, age 19, died May 7, 2020. Say his name.
Falsely accused of burglary, McHale was shot while down on the ground.
Finan H. Berhe, age 30, died May 8, 2020. Say his name.
In a parking lot, Finan was brandishing a knife. Cops in Montgomery County have been instructed not to shoot to kill in such an instance or use nonlethal force only. They fatally shot Finan instead.
Yassin Mohamed, age 47, died May 9, 2020. Say his name.
Yassin was suffering from mental health crises. He was throwing rocks at cops so they shot and killed him. Apart from the rocks in his hands, Yassin was unarmed.
Maurice Gordon, age 28, died May 22, 2020. Say his name.
Having trouble with his car, cops profiled him. Maurice opted to sit in the police car until a tow truck arrived. He got out and ended up arguing with a cop before being fatally shot. He was unarmed.
George Perry Floyd Jr., age 46, died May 25, 2020
Cops were called to a convenience store where George used a counterfeit $20. He was sitting in his car with two passengers. Cops arrested & handcuffed him. He explained that he was claustrophobic & had difficulty breathing while panicking as cops violently held him on the ground. One cop knelt on his neck for 8 mins & 46 secs. His public execution sparked uprisings around the globe. The cop was recently found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.
Malik Jackson, age 21, died May 27, 2020. Say his name.
A victim of Tony McDade who was killed in the moments before Tony was shot by police. We remember him as a victim of a vicious cycle and recognize the need for better mental health facilities in the Black community. Increased access to mental health professionals and facilities will lessen the likelihood of tragedies like this.
Tony McDade, age 38, died May 27, 2020. Say his name.
Suffering from mental illness and experiencing an episode in which he attacked someone, Tony was fatally shot by police.
David McAtee, age 53, died June 1, 2020. Say his name.
David owned a restaurant where crowds were gathering in Louisville to protest against police brutality. When cops arrived, crowds rushed to McAtee’s restaurant for cover. He was fatally shot in the chest and his body remained on the ground between 12–14 hours while police investigated. He was unarmed and simply in his restaurant.
Rayshard Brooks, age 27, died June 12, 2020. Say his name.
After a complaint that someone was asleep in their car in a Wendy’s drive-thru parking lot, cops arrived. They conducted a breathalyzer on Rayshard and wanted to arrest him. He tried to flee and was fatally shot in the back. On May 5, 2021, the policeman who killed him was reinstated.
De’Von Bailey, age 19, died Aug. 3, 2020. Say his name.
Profiled and pursued by police, De’Von had his hands up and was still fatally shot in the back.
Trayford Pellerin, age 31, died Aug. 21, 2020. Say his name.
Trayford was in possession of a knife at a gas station. He was seen by cops so he started to walk away. They pursued but he continued to walk away. Eventually he made it to another gas station and was shot in the back.
Jacob Blake, age 29, shot and survived Aug. 23, 2020. Say his name.
Jacob pulled up in his car & intervened to stop a dispute between several women. Cops arrived, immediately got aggressive with Jacob and eventually shot him 7 times in the back (in front of 3 of his children), causing paralysis. He survived. We are grateful that he has survived, but lives with a permanent reminder of police brutality.
Damian Lamar Daniels, age 30, died Aug. 25, 2020. Say his name.
Damian was suffering from mental distress/PTSD (he was a former Black army sergeant) at his home. He was meant to be detained to go to a mental health facility but was shot and killed instead.
Dijon Kizzee, age 29, died Aug. 31, 2020. Say his name.
Allegedly committing a traffic violation while riding his bicycle. Cops initially did not want to say what the violation was but it was allegedly riding on the wrong side of the street. He was unarmed. He tried to flee but was caught and shot 20 times.
Deon Kay, age 18, died Sept. 2, 2020. Say his name.
Running away from police with his friends, Deon tried to discard a weapon and had his hand raised when police shot him.
Kurt Andras Reinhold, age 42, died Sept. 23, 2020. Say his name.
Kurt was homeless at the time he was targeted by cops for jaywalking. He was unarmed. They argued with him and eventually fatally shot him.
Jonathan Price, age 31, died Oct. 3, 2020. Say his name.
Jonathan tried to stop a domestic dispute at a gas station. He stopped intervening when cops arrived. He tried to shake the cop’s hand and turned to walk away when he was fatally shot in the back. He was unarmed and not part of the dispute.
Marcellis Stinnette, age 19, died Oct. 20, 2020. Say his name.
Marcellis was a passenger in car parked in front of his girlfriend’s mom’s house. Patrolling cops said they were “suspicious.” Marcellis and his girlfriend drove away but were stopped again. Different cops pursued them and opened fire. Marcellis’ girlfriend survived. They were both unarmed.
Walter Wallace Jr., age 27, died Oct. 26. 2020. Say his name.
Walter was suffering from mental illness and needed a wellness check. The Red Cross was called but police came and shot him.
Frederick Cox, age 18, died Nov. 8, 2020. Say his name.
Shot by cops while he was shielding his family from shots fired in a drive-by shooting at a funeral. He was unarmed.
Sincere Pierce, age 18, died Nov. 13, 2020. Say his name.
Sincere was racially profiled and accused of driving a stolen vehicle. Turned out it wasn’t a stolen vehicle, but the cops shot and killed him anyway. He was unarmed.
A.J. Crooms, age 16, died Nov. 13, 2020. Say his name.
A passenger in what police “mistook” as a stolen vehicle, he was riding along with his friend Sincere Pierce. The cops shot and killed him. He and his friend were unarmed. http://chng.it/xCKv4MTp8Z
Rodney Applewhite, age 25, died Nov. 19, 2020. Say his name.
Travelling home for Thanksgiving to be with family, Rodney was pulled over for nothing at an alleged traffic stop. He was unarmed but fatally shot by cops.
Joshua Feast, age 22, died Dec. 9, 2020. Say his name.
Joshua was fleeing a cop who shot him in the back. The cop has a history of abuse. Video was not released, but the coroner’s report corroborated eye witness accounts.
Casey Goodson Jr., age 23, died Dec. 4, 2020. Say his name.
Casey was shot 6 times in the back while holding a Subway sandwich and trying to enter his home. Cops had been patrolling the area and “mistook” him for a “violent offender.” He was bringing food home for him and his little brother.
Andre’ Hill, age 47, died Dec. 22, 2020. Say his name.
A non-emergency 311 call for noise disturbance in the neighborhood brought a cop to Hill’s home. It is unclear if it was his car that was making noise but he had just turned it on to leave a friend’s house late that evening. He tried to calm the cop down but was shot four times. Andre’ was unarmed and was simply preparing to drive home.
Dolal Idd, age 23, died Dec. 30, 2020. Say his name.
Exchanged gunfire with cops. It was ruled a homicide for excessive force, as 3 police opened fire. Dolal’s death sparked debate again about how Black men are treated in these situations as opposed to white and Latino men. See here
Carl Dorsey III, age 39, died Jan. 1, 2021. Say his name.
Shot with hands up, complying and backing away from cops so they wouldn’t feel threatened. Carl was unarmed.
Xzavier Hill, age 18, died Jan. 9, 2021. Say his name.
A high speed chase ended with Xzavier’s car in a ditch. He couldn’t open his door and yelled that at the cops. Cops allege he was armed and fatally shot him.
Patrick Warren Sr., age 52, died Jan. 10, 2021. Say his name.
Patrick’s family called for a wellness check and requested a health professional visit their home. Patrick Warren did not want a police officer there, but rather a resource worker. A cop with a hostile demeanor arrived and escalated the situation. Patrick, refusing to go to the hospital was shot and killed. He was unarmed.
Marvin David Scott III, age 26, died March 14, 2021. Say his name.
Arrested for possession of less than two ounces of weed, Marvin was transferred to a Texas detention center. He died 4 hrs later. His family is still seeking answers.
Duante Wright, age 20, died April 11, 2021. Say his name.
Duante’s alleged traffic violation was having an air freshener in the mirror. He was told he had an outstanding warrant, but it seems evident that this was a case of racial profiling since the car was registered in his Mom’s name. He had 2 previous misdemeanors for illegally possessing a pistol & fleeing police in 2020. The cop reached for her gun instead of taser. He was unarmed and compliant.
Matthew Zadok Williams, age 35, died April 12, 2021. Say his name.
Possibly dealing with a plumbing situation at home, cops showed up by surprise. He had no outstanding warrants. Cops refuse to share footage. He was unarmed. His family is seeking answers.
Lindani Myeni, age 29, died April 14, 2021. Say his name.
On a mission trip visiting Hawaii, Lindani took off his shoes in a strangers home as he entered to speak to them. Cops were called (by someone in the community) and once they arrived they immediately escalated the situation treating Lindani like a threat. They killed him.
Andrew Brown Jr., age 42, died April 21, 2021. Say his name.
Allegedly while serving a warrant, cops fatally shot Andrew. The FBI are now involved, as an independent autopsy has revealed Andrew was shot in the back of the head. Cops refuse to release footage.
Ashton Pinke, age 27, died May 4, 2021. Say his name.
Ashton suffered from mental illness, had been diagnosed with bipolar schizophrenia and was being treated. His long-term partner had phoned for help when Ashton was having an episode. Police arrived and shot him.
Demetrius Stanley, age, 31, died May 31, 2021. Say his name.
Demetrius was confronted by plain clothes officers who didn’t identify themselves. They came in an unmarked van and were stalking the outside of Demetrius’ family home. He went outside to check and they shot him from inside their car. They never ID themselves.
Winston ‘Boogie’ Smith, age 32, died June 3, 2021. Say his name.
US Marshals approached him in a vehicle. He had a previous outstanding warrant from 2017 but was simply sitting in his car with a female passenger. USMS has refused to release footage claiming Marshals are not equipped with cameras. The shot Winston who succumbed to injuries. His passenger was taken to the hospital and treated due for injuries related to flying glass.
Say their names
We also remember Emmett Till (1955), African-American; Abdirahma Abdi (2016), Canadian-Somali; Colten Bushie (2016), Indigenous; Stephen Lawrence, (1993) Black-British; Rashan Charles, (2017) Black-British; Prince Jones, (2000), African-American; Ronald Madison, (2005) African-America; Sean Bell (2006), African American; Julius Johnson (2009), African-American; Tony Menchaca (2010), African-American; Sean Monterrosa (2020) Latino-American; Adam Toldeo (2021), Latino-American.
For more information and reports on killings of Black men go to Newsone here.
