U.S : "They shot him execution style"

Eye-witnesses say Minneapolis Police fatally shot 24-year-old Jamar Clark "execution style."

Join local activists in demanding police release all video of the shooting:

TAKE ACTION

Dear friend,

This weekend, Minneapolis Police fatally shot unarmed 24-year-old Jamar Clark.

In a scene all too similar to the police shooting of 18-year-old Mike Brown, dozens of people saw the shooting unfold. Eye-witnesses say Jamar was handcuffed with his hands behind his back when police shot him in the head "execution style." ²

The entire event was likely caught on video by a nearby camera, but local officials are refusing to release the footage. Last night, police unjustly arrested more than 51 Black Lives Matter activists for demanding release of the video and justice for Jamar.³ Now, it's time for us to help turn up the pressure to get Jamar's family the answers they deserve.

Click here to demand police release all video footage of the shooting. If enough of us speak out, it will shine a spotlight on local officials and increase the pressure for them to release whatever information they have.

All eye-witness accounts of what happened to Jamar point to murder. According to the latest news reports, police were called to the area for domestic assault. While it's unclear exactly what happened before the paramedics arrived, Jamar allegedly tried to speak to his girlfriend before she was put in an ambulance but police threw him to the ground and arrested him. Moments later, law enforcement shot him in the head. Tate Wilson, a local business owner who saw the shooting happen, said, "the young man was just laying there. He was not resisting arrest."⁴ According to the local NAACP, every eye-witness they've spoken to said Jamar "was handcuffed. Every witness account. [They say police] put a knee on him and shot in the head."⁵

We need the video footage of the shooting in order to hold law enforcement accountable for this brutal violence.Time and time again, we've seen what happens when local officials are able to keep this type of key information from family members and the public.⁶ The longer videos are kept secret the easier it is for police to doctor the footage or alter their stories to fit what's caught on camera instead of what actually happened.⁷ We need full transparency and public accountability or else we will never be able to end the racist culture of corruption and violence that leads to these tragedies. Local officials have asked the Department of Justice to investigate the case, but the investigation will likely take months to complete.⁸ We need answers now.

When NAACP activists Jason Sole heard about the tragic police shooting of Jamar he said, "Minneapolis is one bullet away from Ferguson...that bullet was fired last night."⁹ The reality is, police violence targeting Black people is rampant in cities across America. In fact, Jamar is at least the 251st Black person killed by police in 2015 alone.¹⁰ Due to discriminatory racial stereotypes, police are 21 times more likely to shoot Black teens than white teens.¹¹ And Minneapolis Black youth have had enough. As protesters put their lives on the line to stand with Jamar's family in demanding justice, we must raise our voices to hold local officials accountable.

Enough is enough. Tell Minneapolis law enforcement to release all key evidence pertaining to the police shooting of Jamar Clark.

Thank you,

Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Lyla and the rest of the ColorOfChange team.

November 17th, 2015

References:

1. "Black Lives Matter Protesting Police Shooting of a Reportedly Unarmed Man in Minneapolis," Gawker 11-15-2015http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5522?t=6&akid=5045.1942551.0qXRl5

2. See reference 1.

3. "51 arrested in protests after black man shot by Minneapolis police," USA Today 11-17-2015http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5530?t=8&akid=5045.1942551.0qXRl5

4. "Protesters demand video, police accountability in Minneapolis shooting," Reuters 11-16-2015http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5524?t=10&akid=5045.1942551.0qXRl5

5. "Jamar Clark: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know," Heavy.com 11-15-2015 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5525?t=12&akid=5045.1942551.0qXRl5

6. "Police Still Refuse to Release Evidence in Demouria Hogg Shooting Death OPD," Post News Group 07-17-2015http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5526?t=14&akid=5045.1942551.0qXRl5

7. "CONFIRMED: Dashcam Video of Sandra Bland’s Violent Arrest was Indeed Edited," Mint Press News 07-17-2015http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5529?t=16&akid=5045.1942551.0qXRl5

8. "Besty Hodges: Jamar Clark Shooting Should Be Investigated by Department of Justice," City Pages 11-16-2015http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5527?t=18&akid=5045.1942551.0qXRl5

8. See reference 5.

9. "The Counted: People killed by police in the US," The Guardian http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5011?t=20&akid=5045.1942551.0qXRl5

10. "Deadly Force, in Black and White," ProPublica 10-10-2014 http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5528?t=22&akid=5045.1942551.0qXRl5

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