Another Black Man falls victim
At the posting of this blog this police shooting is still under investigation.
Groom Fatally Shot Hours Before Wedding
Sean Bell and his fiancee had already shared a high school romance, then two children. In the early hours of what was to be their wedding day, their reception hall lay waiting, covered in satin and adorned with balloons.But the ceremony never arrived Saturday, after police shot 50 rounds at the groom's car as he drove away from his bachelor party, killing the 23-year-old just hours before he was set to walk down the aisle.The hail of gunfire at a car full of unarmed men drew a furious outcry from family members and community leaders, including the Rev. Al Sharpton.
Two passengers, who had been celebrating with the groom at a strip club, were also injured; one was struck by at least 11 bullets.The officers' shots struck the men's car 21 times after the vehicle rammed into an undercover officer and hit an unmarked NYPD minivan. Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said Saturday night it was too early to say whether the shooting was justified.The wild gunfire hit nearby homes and shattered windows at a train station, though no residents were injured.Police thought one of the men in the car might have had a gun. But investigators found no weapons. It was unclear what prompted police to open fire, Kelly said.
But as it stands an undercover cop fired 50 shots at 3 unarmed black men who were seated in a car. There is no justfication for this recent case of excessive force. Im just shocked that it took so long for this to happen again. (In February 1999, four New York City policemen searching for a rape suspect and went on to shot an unarmed Amadou Diallo 41 times, hitting him with 19 bullets. The object Diallo was reaching for turned out to be his wallet.) In the case of Amadou Diallo the cops were found not guilty. This paved the way for this recent incident of Shawn Bell, 23, was shot in the neck and killed when plainclothes cops unloaded 50 shots on his Nissan Altima after his bachelor party at a Queens strip club. In New York the usual is underway: Al Sharpton is involved, we held a rally; there will probably be more rallies and protests.
I dont blame only the cops. They are backed by a justice system that will give them a pass to kill black & hispanic men. But black community leaders are only present during a time of crisis or injustice. Where are they in the aftermath to bridge the gap in the black community with the police. I am by most standards a young man but Im an so tired of being sick and tired. In New York black men both innocent & guilty need to fear police. Young black & hispanic men need to be taught what to do when approached by police. As a teenager my father gave me a guide on what young black need to know when dealing with the police.
My Father told me the following:
never look a cop in the eye: unless told to do so.
keep your hands visible at all times
Always keep ID on your person
if cops ride by; stop, slowly take hand out of pockets and wait for them to pass.
when with friends never walk in groups larger the 3 or 4
never turn your back on a cop unless told to do so because they are going to handcuff you.
once read your mirandas' stay quite, request a lawyer and pray that you live thru interrogation.
The non-violent Martin Luther King approach no longer works. This is not 1964, civil discord is needed. Drastic times call for drastic measures. The police are paid by our tax dollars to protect us. There is no justification for a cop to shoot a black man armed or unarmed 41 or 50 times. When will we stop mourning our black men who die in the hands of police officers. Back in the 60's the police use fire hoses and would get dogs to attack black people. Today cops use hail storm of bullets. This type of injustice brings to mind a book my militant father had me read as a youth. The book was by Sam Greenlee titled 'The Spook that by the Door". It dealt with the aftermath of a police shooting of an unarmed black man. We need a revolution by any means necessary!!!
When will this end?! What will it take for cops to understand that the black man is not an animal? Sensitivity training, rallies and marches no longer work. Will we (black people) have to live by the gun since we are dying by the gun??
Suggested Films:
The Spook That Sat by The Door
Panther
A Huey P. Newton Story
Malcolm X
Do the Right Thing
