CHICAGO—Chicago families whose loved ones were killed by Chicago police or died in police custody, held a news conference outside of the Chicago Police headquarters on Feb. 1.
Several mothers whose sons were killed unjustly by the police wept and stated their hurt and frustrations about the ongoing police killings across the nation.
Panzy Edwards, the mother of 15-year-old Dakota Bright, stated, “November 8, 2012, will always be a date etched in my memory. My son was walking down the street and he was shot in the back of his head by the police on 6727 South Indiana. The officers involved were never jailed or reprimanded.”
According to media reports, Dakota was unarmed and running away from police when he was shot. In 2018 the Chicago Police Board cleared the White police officer of any wrongdoing despite a ruling by the Independent Police Review Authority calling the shooting “unprovoked and unwarranted.”
The latest national news story involving the death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis triggers many families to relive the moment their loved ones were killed at the hands of law enforcement.
The mother of Ronald Johnson feels the police shooting of her son was a cover-up. Officers involved in this incident that took place on October 12, 2014, were found justified in using deadly force by an independent investigation group. Ronald was shot in the back of his head by Chicago police in which the bullet exited through his eye. She shared her testimony at the news conference.
LaKendra Williams is a new mother for the fourth time, however, her children’s father, her fiancée Darius Wilson, died while in Dolton, Illinois, police custody. —Shawntell Muhammad, Contributing Writer
