Protest over DC shooting of Violence Interrupter escalates; seven arrests made
7 arrested after justice for Justin Robinson protests turn violent in DC
Seven people were arrested after a protest in D.C. over a deadly officer-involved shooting turned violent, police said. On Wednesday, MPD released the names of the suspects who were taken into custody Tuesday night. FOX 5's Lili Zheng has the story.
WASHINGTON - Seven people were arrested after a protest in D.C. over a deadly officer-involved shooting turned violent, police said.
On Wednesday, MPD released the names of the suspects who were taken into custody Tuesday night:
- 28-year-old Tykia Monea Reid of Southeast, Charged with Deface Private/Public Property
- 22-year-old Nyjha McDaniels of Southeast, Charged with Throwing Stones or Missiles at Persons Passing on the Street
- 24-year-old Queshawn Marquis Edwards of Southeast, Charged with Intimidating, Impeding, Interfering, Retaliating Against a Government Official of DC
- 21-year-old Maximus Sayles of Northeast, Charged with Theft Second Degree
- 31-year-old Bilquis Courtney of Northeast, Charged with Throwing Stones or Missiles at Persons Passing on the Street and Assault on a Police Officer
- 19-year-old Chaniyah Bowman of District Heights, MD, Charged with Throwing Stones or Missiles at Persons Passing on the Street and Assault on a Police Officer
- 34-year-old Julian Deandre Tillman of Southeast, Charged with Receiving Stolen Property
The protest Tuesday night came one day after body camera footage released by police showed the deadly shooting of Justin Robinson on Sept. 1.
Robinson is known for his work as a violence interrupter in a city program.
"Anytime there is a life lost, we’re concerned, but we have a system in our city where all of our patrol officers wear a bodyworn camera and we know that can give us some information when we have a police-involved shooting in that investigation," Mayor Muriel Bowser said Wednesday. "That investigation is underway."
The video released Monday shows Robinson unconscious in his car after crashing into a McDonald’s on the 2500 block of Marion Barry Avenue SE. Robinson appeared to have a gun in his lap.
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Protest at site of deadly DC police shooting after body cam footage released
Police have shut down streets in Southeast D.C. in anticipation of protests where a Violence Interrupter for the city was shot and killed by D.C. police last week.
The footage released by police at the request of Robinson’s family shows video from body cameras worn by two officers who fired their weapons after first approaching the car and strategizing how to remove Robinson from it. They’re heard discussing potential steps, including reaching through an open back window to unlock the front door so officers could grab the gun on Robinson’s lap. While officers were discussing what to do, they appear to notice Robinson moving.
"I got movement," one of them can be heard saying. Officers approached the car, yelling at Robinson to keep his hands off his gun. They screamed at him to put his hands up and as Robinson rolled his window partially down, an officer pointed his gun through the window.
Police said Robinson grabbed the gun before shots were fired.
The protest on Tuesday started peacefully but turned violent just after 10 p.m., according to police.
"As we have stated before, we will certainly allow any peaceful protest in the District of Columbia but whenever there’s any violence against any person, property, or individuals, we certainly take action on that," D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith said. "As you know, there were seven individuals arrested in front of our 7th district station, specifically for throwing bottles, rocks, and eggs at our officers."
Asiyah Timini, founder of the community organization Rock Now, said her son knew Robinson. The video was hard to watch, Timini said.
"I just couldn’t get myself together after watching it. This is a fear every Black mother has, that their child will go to work or wherever and never come back home for fear that they’ll be pulled over by police and they’ll be guilty while driving or walking. This is a great fear that Black mothers have," Timini said. "I’m not going to say all police officers are bad but in this situation, I really think something else could have been done besides putting 11 bullets into that young man."
Timini said she, and others in the community, want the investigation to be thorough.
"People are hurt. People are angry. They’re scared for their children and not just boys. You’re scared for your daughters," she said. "I have three sons who are victims of gun violence. I’m a victim of gun violence and just seeing my son’s clothes after he was shot after they were returned to us, I broke down. So, I can’t even imagine what his family is going through."
The two officers involved are on administrative leave as authorities investigate.