African-American Police Incidents

“I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe.” That’s what Eric Garner said when a police officer killed him for no reason in Staten Island. Garner was accused of selling cigarettes illegally, and in the video taken of the event Garner mentions how the cops have always ragged on him for selling illegal cigarettes. Garner combats the police by saying “I did not sell nothing!” and “Whenever you see me you want to mess with me! It stops now!” Officer Daniel Pantaleo compulsively choked Garne and killed him. He was 43 when he died. This was the first incident that had ample attention brought to it, but there have been many racist police encounters with African-Americans over the years. This incident also opened the issue of African-Americans targeted by police
On July 6, 2016, Mr. Philando Castille was pulled over by a police officer. Castille knew how to handle getting pulled over; he had been pulled over many times before. He told the officer that he was carrying a firearm, and as he was reaching for his license, Officer Yanez, the man who pulled him over, shot him 7 times because he “feared for his life.” Castille’s last words were “I wasn’t reaching for it.” His girlfriend live streamed the aftermath on facebook. Officer Yanez was later charged with manslaughter. Philando Castile and Eric Garner were two incidents that were mourned throughout the world, but perhaps the most absurd incident was Alton Sterling. Sterling was selling CD’s when a homeless man relentlessly asked him for money. After a long period of time, Sterling pulled a gun and the homeless man called the police. The police wrestled him to the ground and shots ran out and Sterling ended up dead. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, a mockingbird is defined as a contributor to society who is targeted. Castille was a cafeteria worker and Sterling was a CD vendor who were both
In 2015, 50% of victims of police shootings were white, and 26% were black. However, African-Americans make up only 13% of our population, so this rate is disproportionate compared to the population. In addition, in 2015 the police shot 36 unarmed black males and only 31 unarmed white males. Unarmed before . And since African-Americans make up close to ⅛ of the population, the fact that unarmed black americans are shot more than white unarmed people is ludicrous. It is true that african-americans do commit more crimes than white americans, however. African Americans committed 62% of all