Unjustified police murders in African American community's, people killed by police

The African American community has been rocked by fear. However, the fear in this community cannot be attributed to poverty, gun violence, or unemployment. While these are serious concerns for African Americans, it is not what they fear the most. What they truly fear are Police Officers, the very people who are supposed to protect them. This may seem to be irrational to many because most people see police officers as those who's job is to serve and protect. Nevertheless, people who live in African American neighborhoods has a much different view of cops in fact, there are many African Americans who are afraid of them.

This fear stems from a long history of police brutality in African American communities. We all know about high profile cases such as, Rodney King, Abner Louima, and Amadou Diallo. However, many of you may not know about Aiyanna Stanley Jones. She was only 7 years old when she was shot and killed by police officers during a raid in Detroit in 2011 (Rivas, 2012) . Oscar Grant, was only 22 when he was shot in his back by an officer in 2009 (Bulwa, 2011). Danroy Henry, a 20 year old Pace University student was shot and killed by an officer in 2010 (Phillips, 2010) Phillip Pannel was killed in 1990 by an officer in Teaneck NJ (Lee, 1990). Sean Bell, age 23 was shot and killed in 2006, hours before his wedding (NY Times, 2011). Most recently, 26 year old Dwayne Browne was shot dead in his home while trying to defend his family (Rivas, 2012). In addition to these well known cases, 9 African Americans were shot, 7 were fatal, in Miami from July 2010-February 2011 (Huffington Post, 2011) . 16 African Americans were killed in police shootings in Charlotte North Carolina from 1998-2008. 5 of those killings occurred in the first 5 months of 2008 (NAACP, 2012). There were 17 police shootings in Las Vegas in 2003, 10 of the 17 victims were black. As of June 2011, 86 percent of those who were shoot by cops were black (Maimon, 2011). African Americans are more likely to be shot or tasered, as well. These numbers are alarming but whats more alarming is that in most of these cases no one is ever held accountable for these shootings.

For these reasons African American mothers are afraid for their sons, wives are afraid for their husbands, sisters are terrified for their brothers and black men are afraid for themselves. An African American can be shot while, going to work, grocery shopping, or running simple errands. This is the sad reality of African American Communities today. This article is not intended to bash the police, their are plenty of honorable officers who do their jobs to the best of their ability. It is also not intended to say that some police shootings are not justified because many of them are. Nevertheless, it is a fact that in most of the shootings that were mentioned above the victims were unarmed and their killings were unjustifiable. At what point do we start saying enough is enough? When will people stop turning a blind eye to these unspeakable crimes? Because that's what they are, crimes. When will be police officers be treated like a regular human beings and be held accountable for their actions? This is an issue that should not only outrage the African American community, it should outrage anyone with a heart beat.

Bulwa, Demain (2011) Behind Murder Charge against ex-Bart officer, San Francisco Chronicle

Rivas, Jorge (2012) Brooklyn Man Killed in his own Home, Colorlines.com

Maimon, Alan (2011) Critics Demand Action on Disproportionate Shootings of Blacks, Las Vegas Review

Huffington Post (2011) 7 African American Killled in Miami from July 2010-Febuary 2011, HuffingtonPost.com

NAACP (2012) 16 People Killed by Chalottle Police from 1998-2008, CarolinaJustice.typepad

Lee R, Felicia (1990) Violence in Teaneck, A Gunshot in the Dark, Links to Disparate Lives; Phillip C. Phannel