FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 11, 2014
Contact: CJ Frogozo, cj@fitzgibbonmedia.com, 310 570 2622
**VIEW PETITION HERE: http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/mike_brown/**
New York, NY—On Saturday, a Ferguson police officer racially profiled and fatally shot unarmed, 18-year-old, Michael Brown as he walked to his grandmother’s residence with a friend. Eye witnesses report that the police officer, who remains unnamed, fired several fatal shots at Michael as the teen stood in the street with his hands in the air. The family and local community members are calling his death an execution.
ColorOfChange Executive Director, Rashad Robinson stated, “The ColorOfChange community sends heartfelt sympathy to Michael’s family during this incredibly painful time. We are outraged at the violence and brutality of the officer that killed Michael and the callous unprofessionalism of other Ferguson police who failed to notify the family of their son’s death — leaving Michael’s deceased body on public display in the street for hours.”
“This racially-motivated police violence has no place in law enforcement and represents the systemic police abuse against Black communities in Ferguson and Missouri at large. Every day, discriminatory policing tactics target Black youth on the basis of dehumanizing stereotypes, leading to unjust stops, searches, and tragic death. Law enforcement cannot be allowed to kill with impunity,” continued Robinson.
“We demand full accountability and call on the Department of Justice to rigorously investigate the Ferguson Police Department and prosecute all officers involved in this tragic killing to the fullest extent of the law. We also call on local officials to immediately initiate the firing process for all officers involved. While nothing can bring Michael back to his family, public officials must take the necessary steps to stop violence against Black youth by law enforcement, “ concluded Robinson.
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With more than 900,000 members, ColorOfChange is the nation’s largest online civil rights organization