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Protests erupt over deadly police-involved shooting in DC
Those close to the family tell FOX 5, the mother of Deon Kay – 18-year-old shot and killed by a DC police officer last Wednesday – will hold a news conference, speaking publicly for likely the first time. Meanwhile, protests over this officer-involved shooting erupted over the weekend.
WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - Those close to the family tell FOX 5 the mother of Deon Kay, the armed 18-year-old shot and killed by a D.C. police officer last Wednesday, is expected to speak on Tuesday.
Protests over this officer-involved shooting extended into the weekend.
Different videos online show some tense moments outside of the 7th District Police Station – you can hear profanity hurled at police. That appears to have happened after groups splintered-off from the planned vigil and march to the police station held on Saturday.
“It is our duty to fight for our freedom,” shouted a protester in the video Ward 8 State Board of Education member Marcus Batchelor shared on social media.
A member of the Alliance of Concerned Men tells FOX 5 the vigil was organized by the D.C. Peace Walk team, working to address needs in the community. Those demonstrating at multiple protests held across the city, are calling for justice and an independent investigation.
READ MORE: DC police release bodycam footage from shooting death of Deon Kay
Police shared bodycam video that shows Deon Kay with what appears to be a gun in his hand around the time an officer fires one single shot. That officer was on a pursuit. Police say before the shooting, officers had seen Kay, and at least one other person known to them, with guns on a live social media video stream.
Several people, including Deon Kay’s mentor, believe Kay is being vilified.
“What folks are really upset about is just the lack of opportunity in communities like Deon’s and also the lack of empathy in which policing happens in communities like ours when you see, right, mass shooters and folks who have shot people who don’t look like Deon, right, get humanely treated …” said Batchelor.
There is another conversation going on. Many who have seen the police bodycam video agree with the officer’s actions. Since at least Thursday, FOX 5 has also seen videos circulating online that appear to show 18-year-old Kay and friends showing-off handguns and rifles. Police sources tell FOX 5 they are aware of this.
READ MORE: 18-year-old shot, killed by DC police officer during pursuit
FOX 5 also spoke with Clayton Rosenberg, chief of staff with The Alliance of Concerned Men, about the videos. The Alliance of Concerned Men is also the group that runs the D.C. Attorney General’s violence interruption program called, “Cure the Streets.”
Rosenberg tells FOX 5 there is no excuse. He also offered his condolences to the family and says this should not have happened.
“I think we all failed him,” Rosenberg told FOX 5, “If our youth can get access and they’re coming from somewhere, then that means somebody that’s in a position to make change or to intercept that, they’re not doing their jobs, so we have not found a way to come together, find out where they’re getting their guns from, put a cease to it but then get them wrap-around services so they can feel like they don’t need a gun.”
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“Cure the Streets” operates in Ward 7 and 8 but Rosenberg says where this happened, on Orange St. SE, is not on their list but they are talking about different ways they can try and respond to the neighborhood.
Rosenberg also proposes having their organization teach conflict resolution to both the community and police in that area.