Another police shooting of Black teen sparks protest [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• A police shooting happened in Waukegan, Illinois, on October 20, resulting in the death of black teenager Marcellis Stinnette, 19.
• Her girlfriend, Tafara Williams (20), was severely wounded and currently being treated in a hospital.
• Protests were held in Waukegan following the shooting.

Last week in Waukegan, Illinois, a Black teenager died while his girlfriend was severely injured in another police shooting that sparked public outrage.

A Waukegan cop fired at the car which police claimed was driving in reverse to hit the officer. Tafara Williams, the driver, was badly injured while her passenger boyfriend Marcellis Stinnette died due to the car shots.

“When does it end? When does it end, America? How many more Black people have to be killed because of police brutality?” civil rights attorney Ben Crump asked during a press conference on Tuesday. 

Crump has represented victims and bereaved families in numerous high-profile cases where police have been charged with assault, specifically involving Black people.

Representing Williams and her family, Crump, and lawyer Antonio Romanucci said on Tuesday that a civil lawsuit will arrive soon.

The police said that the incident occurred following an officer’s investigation of a vehicle before October 20 midnight. The vehicle sped away and was spotted by another officer nearby, the police said.

When the officer walks towards the car, it suddenly approached him in reverse, which made the officer fire his “semi-automatic pistol.” Both Stinette and Williams got hit when the officer made fired shots.

Williams, lying in a hospital bed, also gave her side of the story. She said that she and Stinnette, alongside their baby, were staying inside their vehicle outside her residence when a police officer came behind them.

As the police pulled up their vehicle, Williams said the officer had neither turned his lights or sirens on and approached them.

“He stood near the car with his left hand on his gun, and he said to [Stinnette], ‘I know you from jail,’” she said. “I asked the officers if we were under arrest. The officer took a few steps away from the car and got on his cellphone. I drove away very slowly,” she said.

Williams said that when they arrive in another street, another officer was already waiting for them.

“There was a crash, and I lost control. The officer was shooting at us. The car ended up slamming into a building. I kept screaming, ‘I don’t have a gun,’ but he kept shooting,” she said.

Williams added that the officer told her to get out of the vehicle, and she said she could not move and held up her hands. Williams also said that Stinnette “kept shaking” as more cops approached and aimed their guns at them.

Michael Nerheim, Lake County State’s Attorney, said last week that Illinois State Police would have its own investigation, adding that the US Department of Justice would also review the case.

According to NPR, protests were held in Waukegan following the incident.

Source: AOL.com